Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Bayern Munich enter race for Sevilla defender; Blues unlikely to sign PSG full-back, and more - June 14, 2022
Chelsea finished third in the Premier League last season and were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by eventual winner Real Madrid in the quarterfinals.
Blues manager Thomas Tuchel will look to bolster his squad this summer to help fight for silverware next season.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have entered the race to sign a Sevilla defender. Elsewhere, the Blues remain interested in a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) full-back.
On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on June 14, 2022:
Bayern Munich enter race for Jules Kounde
Bayern Munich have entered the race to sign Jules Kounde, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.
The French defender is a target for Chelsea this summer. The Blues were unable to complete a move for the 23-year-old last summer but are ready to try again now.
Thomas Tuchel has already lost Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid. Andreas Christensen is likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer as well.
Cesar Azpilicueta also has one foot out of the club, so the London giants could be down to their bones in central defence this summer.
Tuchel wants to address the situation by roping in Kounde. However, Bayern Munich are also keeping a close eye on the Frenchman as they look to replace Niklas Sule.
The Bavarians' backline lacked solidity last season, so the German giants want to add more steel to their defence by targeting Kounde.
Chelsea unlikely to sign Achraf Hakimi this summer
Acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Chelsea are unlikely to sign Achraf Hakimi this summer.
Thomas Tuchel has a long-standing interest in the PSG full-back. The Blues attempted to sign him last year, but a deal collapsed in the eleventh hour.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano revealed that new PSG sporting director Luis Campos wants Hakimi to stay.
"Chelsea wanted Achraf Hakimi a year ago, and certainly he has always been high on the list of Thomas Tuchel, who is a big fan of Hakimi. So far, Paris Saint-Germain have assured that they have not received any proposals, also because the club’s new sporting director Luis Campos appreciates the Moroccan right back," wrote Romano.
Romano suggested that Hakimi's future could depend on the incoming manager at Paris. However, he also added that the Moroccan is likely to stay with the Parisians beyond the summer.
"His future may depend on the future manager’s situation, as we don’t know for sure who will replace Mauricio Pochettino and how they might see Hakimi as fitting into their plans, but my feeling for the moment is that Achraf will stay at PSG for another year," wrote Romano.
He continued:
"For sure, Hakimi would add something to Chelsea and to many other top teams, but they already have Reece James on the right, and the new owners are aware of the need to strengthen at centre-back and in attack, where Romelu Lukaku’s future remains unresolved."
Blues planning move for Rayan Ait-Nouri
Chelsea are planning a move for Rayan Ait-Nouri, according to Caught Offside via Alan Nixon.
The London giants are looking to invest in a new left-back this summer They struggled last season in the absence of Ben Chilwell, who had a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.
Marcos Alonso filled in for the Englishman, but the Spaniard is also likely to leave this summer. So Tuchel is eager to add more quality to the position before the new season.
Ait-Nouri has impressed the Blues, who are contemplating diving for him this summer. The 21-year-old has cemented a place in the first team at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He has flourished in the wing-back system and would be a fine fit in Tuchel’s tactics.