Chelsea fans probably hoped that they would never hear the name Jules Kounde again after a year-long transfer debacle threatened to ruin two important summers.
The Blues, who were extremely close to signing the Frenchman twice, finally backed out of a move for the former Sevilla defender after it became apparent that his heart lay in Barcelona, not London. It wasn't for the lack of trying though. Marina Granovskaia and Petr Cech had agreed a deal last summer only for the price to change last minute.
New owners this summer didn't stop Thomas Tuchel going back in for Kounde though and his name was central to most stories in the first half of the window. After picking up the negotiations once more Todd Boehly battled through talks but never settled on a fee and always faced competition from Barcelona to sign the player.
