Chelsea are said to be ‘tired of waiting’ for Jules Kounde and are now set to ‘explore other options’, according to reports.
The Sevilla man has been a long-term target for the Blues, having come close to a move last summer only for a transfer to fall through towards the end of the window.
This year, Chelsea have reignited their interest in the Frenchman, although this time they have faced stiff competition from Barcelona.
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It now appears likely that Kounde will swap one La Liga side for another this summer, although a transfer has not yet been completed, thus giving Thomas Tuchel’s side a glimmer of hope in their pursuit of the 23-year-old.
The World Champions have recently suffered a huge blow in the race for the defender as Barcelona have agreed a fee of around £51 million with Sevilla.
Such an outcome spells bad news for Chelsea as the Camp Nou is thought to be his preferred destination for a move this summer, although he would also be open to a transfer to Stamford Bridge.
As a result frustrations in west London are beginning to show, with Fabrizio Romano now reporting that they are getting ‘tired of waiting for the green light’ regarding Kounde.
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Barcelona are said to be getting even close to signing the France international, who would join the club as their second defensive addition of the summer behind former Chelsea man Andreas Christensen.
Personal terms between the Spanish giants and the player have already been agreed, and the club are now working on their final bid.
The Blues are now thought to be ready to ‘explore’ other defensive options ahead of the new season as they look to build upon the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly.
Centre-backs such as Milan Skriniar of Inter Milan, Presnel Kimpembe of Paris Saint-Germain and Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig have all emerged as potential targets should Kounde not sign for Chelsea.
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However, signing any one of these players will not be easy, with a host of factors having the potential to make things difficult for Tuchel’s side.
Kimpembe worked under the German boss during the latter’s time at PSG, but he is thought to be happy in the French capital.
Skriniar is also a target for the reigning Ligue 1 Champions, therefore providing strong competition for Chelsea should they pursue the Slovakian international.
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At just 20-years-old Gvardiol could certainly be one for the future, but Leipzig do not want to sell him.
There were reports that the Blues were potentially in the race for their other defender Nordi Mukiele but these were soon rubbished due to his pending transfer to PSG, and speculation of a hijack from Chelsea is said to be ‘not true’.
It remains to be seen who they will sign before the end of the transfer window, but they will need to act soon if they are to compete on all fronts throughout the forthcoming season.
Topics: Chelsea, Jules Kounde, Barcelona, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours
Robert Calcutt