Chelsea have once again made it a priority to sign Jules Kounde after the breakdown in negotiations for Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, ABC Sevilla report.
The Blues were heavily linked with the Sevilla star at the beginning of the summer, and there were suggestions that he could be the club’s first signing of the transfer window.
However, that has not been the case. Chelsea have already recruited Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly, and they are in talks to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe.
Amidst this, ABC Sevilla report that Chelsea are back in the hunt for Kounde, and they have appointed super-agent Jorge Mendes to act as the intermediary in negotiations.
Chelsea are still the ‘most interested’ in Kounde, as per the Spanish outlet, but they may need to be wary with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona also considered as admirers.
Sevilla appear to be aiming for a bidding battle between the clubs such that they can receive a transfer fee closer to the €80 million (£68m) release clause in Kounde’s contract.
Our view:
Chelsea were eager to sign the 23-year-old during last summer’s transfer window, but their proposal was well below the buy-out clause that Sevilla were holding out for.
The Blues are currently negotiating a deal for Kimpembe, but journalist Fabrizio Romano recently said that the club could pursue three top central defenders this summer.
The decision obviously makes sense, considering they have a hectic schedule next season due to the World Cup while Thiago Silva could retire in one or two seasons’ time.
Kounde would be a solid acquisition for Chelsea as he is superb with his distribution. The Frenchman is also strong in the air while he has the knack of making clearances.
If Chelsea were to finalise a suitable fee with Sevilla, personal terms may not prove a concern. They had a verbal agreement with the player over a long-term deal last summer.
