Chelsea ‘already close’ to player’s asking price – Granovskaia in ‘permanent contact’, move ‘a little closer’ last night

Chelsea are ‘already close’ to Sevilla’s asking price for Jules Koundé, and a deal is now in its ‘decisive hours’.

That’s according to AS, who make it clear that a move is very much on the cards after the Blues sold Kurt Zouma to West Ham.

That has brought in money to raise their initial offer of €50m for Koundé and bring them closer to what Sevilla are looking for.

The newspaper states that last night saw Thomas Tuchel’s side come ‘a little closer’ to Sevilla’s demands, and Marina Granovskaia is in ‘permanent contact’ with Monchi about the move.

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Indeed, Monchi did not attend a Movistar event after yesterday’s Champions League draw as he ‘does not stop working’ on the deal for Koundé.

He has made it clear he will not give the Frenchman up for less than €60-65m and various bonuses, particularly as more than €10m of that will be going to his former club, Bordeaux.

At the same time as negotiating with Chelsea, he is looking to sign at least two defenders to replace the centre-back and has Boubacar Kamara and Sven Botman on his list.

To get both of them, though, he needs to finalise the deal with Chelsea, who are now edging closer and closer to meeting Sevilla’s demands and making the move happen.