French star Jules Koundé is experiencing a surprising shift in his career this season; after several seasons establishing himself as an indispensable key player in both the Barcelona and French national team lineups, his role has noticeably diminished recently.
The Blaugrana defender did not play a single minute during France's two Nations League matches, as coach Zinedine Zidane preferred to field Pierre Kalulu at right-back.
Zidane began his tenure by appointing the player, who has 57 caps for Les Bleus, as the fourth captain of the national team, following Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Adrien Rabiot.
Furthermore, Koundé's reduced playing time with Barcelona this season raises concern among observers based on the statistics; the player missed his team's matches against Levante, Racing, and Sevilla.
Chelsea targets signing Koundé
As a result of this situation, Jules Koundé's performance has attracted the attention of major European clubs. According to "Mundo Deportivo," citing English website "TeamTalk," Chelsea is one of the interested parties in signing the player, having previously been linked with Bayern Munich.
Chelsea was among the most active clubs in pursuing the Frenchman in 2022, before Barcelona successfully signed him from Sevilla for €50 million plus incentives.
In August 2025, just months after his defining moment as a Barcelona player—scoring the winning goal in extra time against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final—Koundé extended his contract, which was set to expire in 2027, until June 30, 2030.
According to reports, Chelsea has never forgotten Koundé, whose name has been linked with other Premier League clubs during previous transfer windows.
Now, under the guidance of former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso, Koundé's name has resurfaced on the Blues' table, and they may attempt to sign him in the upcoming winter transfer window.
