Chelsea on red alert as things go from bad to worse for Barcelona ace

3 Oct 2026 19:01 BST 2 min read

Tom Weber | Writer

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Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is going through a difficult period, which could be good news for Chelsea.

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The France international's situation in Catalunya has been turned on its head over the past 12 months. Kounde was one of the standout performers in Hansi Flick's first season at Barcelona, but those days are long gone.

The 27-year-old increasingly lost his importance to the German last season, and he is now firmly behind Eric Garcia in the right-back pecking order. Kounde has started just twice this season, playing fewer than 300 minutes.

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Ahead of the international break, the versatile defender was an unused substitute in three consecutive matches. This sparked fresh rumours about his future, with Kounde no longer deemed untouchable by Barcelona.

On the contrary, the Catalans would have been willing to listen to suitable offers for the Frenchman in the summer, but at the time, he had no intention of leaving the reigning LaLiga champions.

Kounde reconsidering his future

Given his lack of minutes this season, that stance is starting to change. Already a few days ago, reports in Spain claimed that Kounde had begun reconsidering his future, as Flick is unlikely to drop Garcia unless he suffers a serious injury.

Even a transfer as early as January can no longer be ruled out because, quite simply, Barcelona need funds. The Blaugrana did not manage to raise as much money from first-team sales in the summer as they had anticipated.

Consequently, they are prepared to consider offers mid-season even if it means weakening the team. Kounde's frustration with his situation will have only increased in recent days.

Although he played the full 90 minutes in France's first game of the break, a 1-0 win over Turkey, he was an unused substitute in the bigger subsequent matches against Belgium and Italy.

AS writes that "something's up with Kounde" and points out that new Les Bleus boss Zinedine Zidane has not been shy to cut Didier Deschamps "old guard" from his roster.

If he is not careful, Kounde may face the same fate as the Hernandez brothers and find himself completely out of the France picture. While Kounde may play against Belgium on Monday, his objective of using the break to recapture his form has failed.

He hasn't put a foot wrong, but he also hasn't done anything that may compel Flick or Zidane to reinstate him as the starting right-back going forward. Being just solid and reliable is no longer enough.

Suitors will be keenly watching developments in Barcelona over the next few weeks, knowing that Kounde may become available in January. Chelsea have been on his case since his Sevilla days in 2022 and could reignite their pursuit.

They are the club most persistently linked with the France international, although Bayern have apparently also begun mulling over a possible move for Kounde. His destination remains unclear, but his chances of staying at Barcelona decrease with each passing game.