Sevilla chief Monchi has admitted defender Jules Koundé had to be allowed time to mourn a failed transfer to Chelsea this summer.
The Blues were linked with a move for the Frenchman throughout the summer transfer window, having been keen to add a centre-back after the arrival of Romelu Lukaku.
They were locked in negotiations with Sevilla about a move for months but failed to get a deal over the line, with the Spanish side sticking to a high asking price.
That was something Chelsea weren’t willing to match after their big outlay already, with the possibility of a deal resting very heavily on the sale of Kurt Zouma.
They ultimately managed that late in the window, but Sevilla resisted again, insisting they had been left with no time to source a replacement.
That left Koundé spending another season in Spain, something it was clear he wasn’t very happy about.
And now Monchi has confirmed as much, revealing the defender needed time for ‘mourning’ after seeing his dreams of a move to Chelsea dashed.
“Sometimes things have to be given normality,” Estadio Deportivo report him saying.
“We have all handled the issue in the best way, respecting Koundé, because I have been a footballer, but giving him time so that he could do his own mourning.
“It was a question of time, and thanks to everyone, the issue is back on track.”
