23-year-old finally set to join Chelsea as Tuchel targets 3 more players to revamp backline - Reports
Chelsea are expected to complete a move for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. The Frenchman is one of their main targets as the Blues eye a revamp of their defense.
As per Matt Law of Telegraph, Kounde is 'expected to move to Stamford Bridge' soon. Apart from the Sevilla star, Thomas Tuchel is also keen on signing RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, Villarreal's Pau Torres, and Atletico Madrid's Jose Gimenez.
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Tuchel will lose Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen this summer as their contracts expire. The duo could be followed by club captain Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso, who are both targets for Barcelona.
Should the duo leave, Tuchel will be left with just Trevoh Chalobah, Thiago Silva, and Malang Sarr as his centre-back options.
Chelsea tried to sign Jules Kounde last summer
Sevilla were open to selling Jules Kounde last summer, and Chelsea were keen on signing him. The Blues also submitted a bid for the defender, but the Spanish side were not happy with the amount offered.
Sevilla's sporting director, Monchi, confirmed they had rejected a bid from the Premier League side and was quoted by the Daily Express saying:
"There was a club that he liked, which was Chelsea. The first and only formal offer did not satisfy our desires and was conditional on them selling a player. It was an important offer, considering the current world where there are so many hardships, but it did not meet our demands, conditions, or quantities."
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However, French football expert Julien Laurens told talkSPORT that Sevilla moved goal post in the final moments to block the transfer. He said:
"Chelsea agreed that they were not going to pay the full release clause – and Sevilla were happy, at the beginning, with £50 ,illion. That's certainly what they thought. Suddenly, Sevilla thought, 'He's worth more than that, give us £65 million or £70 million!'
"That's not really how you do business, even on Deadline Day. He missed the Sevilla game at the weekend to be in Paris and ready to travel to London for a medical etc, before going back to Paris with the France national team. There are still a few hours left, but I don't think Chelsea will go as high as the release clause."
Manchester United are also keen on signing Jules Kounde, as per MARCA.