Premier League giants Chelsea are reportedly prepared to step out of the chase to sign Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde.
According to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Chelsea are ready to look away from their pursuit of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde, who is reportedly rated at around €65 million. The Blues have a long-standing interest in the 23-year-old French international and have been targeting him since the 2021 summer transfer window.
Antonio Rudiger has joined Real Madrid in a Bosman move, and Andreas Christensen’s impending move to Barcelona is edging closer to completion. Thomas Tuchel is thus short-staffed in the central defensive department. And Chelsea are currently exploring the transfer market for new centre-back signings, and Kounde was believed to be on top of that list.
Chelsea were close to completing a deal for the French international last summer, but Sevilla increased their asking price at the last minute and the Premier League giants were forced to step out. Chelsea retained their interest and have returned for the 23-year-old this summer but have yet to complete the signing despite being the front-runners for his signature.
Barcelona have stepped into the chase for the Sevilla defender as well and have made contact with his entourage. They are reportedly in advanced talks with the player as well, which has further prolonged the transfer saga. And Chelsea are now prepared to look away, for now, to focus on other targets.
Chelsea have two other centre-back targets on their list, with Juventus’s Matthijs de Ligt being one of them. The Dutch defender is reportedly keen to join the west London club, but the Blues are yet to agree on a transfer fee with the Bianconeri.
There have been reports that Chelsea are even prepared to offer Timo Werner in a player-plus-cash deal as they scamper to complete their first signing of the summer. The west Londoners desperately need a summer overhaul with multiple reported departures but are yet to get a deal through.
Romero has not named the second defender on Chelsea’s wishlist. But they have been linked with the likes of Torino’s Gleison Bremer, Villarreal’s Pau Torres, and Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, among others.
