Chelsea are continuing their push to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde and may have to offer a different player to land him, according to reports.
The Blues are looking to improve their back-line this summer window and have made Kounde their top target, offering a player-plus-cash deal of £30m plus Kurt Zouma.
But, their opening bid was rejected by Sevilla, who would prefer a straight cash offer and value the defender much closer to his £68 million release clause.
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Chelsea have already offered Emerson Palmieri and Zouma to try and work the deal out, but now The Athletic claim Sevilla have their eye on another defender.
The La Liga giants are big admirers of Andreas Christensen and could accept a player-plus-cash swap deal if the Danish star is included.
Chelsea, though, want to keep the 25-year-old defender and have already opened talks over a new deal, with the Dane’s current contract set to expire next year.
Zouma, meanwhile, is not convinced by a transfer move to Sevilla and would prefer to stay in London, with West Ham interested in his signature.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea are ready to do ‘whatever it takes’ to get the deal done for Kounde and will look to sign the player irrespective of whether or not Sevilla agree to take a player in the deal.
Chelsea have already raised funds through player sales this summer, selling Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi for sizeable fees, and could raise another £20m by selling Zouma to West Ham.
That would allow them to pay Kounde’s release clause, effectively swapping three surplus-to-requirements players for one player they believe can be important for the club for the next decade.
Kounde – who has returned to training with Sevilla – is keen to move to Stamford Bridge and personal terms will not be a problem.
