Sevilla defender Jules Kounde could finally be set to join Chelsea in the summer transfer window, according to reports.
Kounde was close to joining Chelsea last summer having agreed personal terms, but Sevilla pulled the plug on the deal when it became clear the Blues were unwilling to meet their valuation.
As the La Liga club’s director of football Monchi explained, Chelsea’s offer also came too late in the transfer window.
“The proposal for Kounde last summer [from Chelsea] was great, the most important we received in our history – but it wasn’t meeting our price tag. Also, we received the bid in an inopportune moment,” Monchi said.
According to Tutto Mercato Web, The London side remain interested in signing the centre-half, with transfer chief Marina Granovskaia leading the efforts to get the player.
Signing Kounde in the January window seems unlikely, but ‘things could be put in place for the end of the season’.
With add ons included, a deal to sign the Frenchman could cost Chelsea around £50m. The report adds that the two sides ‘seem close’ to finalising a deal for a fee in this region.
Signing a new defender in the summer seems imperative at this stage, with Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Christensen all out of contract at the end of 2021/22.
As well as Kounde, Wesley Fofana has emerged as a possible signing if Chelsea lose at least one of the aforementioned trio in the summer.
But, according to Goal, there is good news with ‘growing positivity in the cases of Rudiger and Azpilicueta, who both had a renewed round of discussions with the west London side earlier this month.
It is believed that the trio have ‘agreed to give Chelsea more time to renew their contracts, but want some compromise on terms.’
Rudiger wants his emergence as one of the club’s most important players reflected in his salary but his stance to ‘delay his decision’ has seen Real Madrid become ‘frustrated’.
