On Sunday, we covered claims made in Spain that Chelsea have resumed talks with Sevilla for Jules Koundé.
Barcelona are showing interest in the 23-year-old and the Blues have to battle it out with the Catalan club for his signature.
Mundo Deportivo on Monday state the La Liga side’s priority is to strengthen their defence and Chelsea’s César Azpilicueta and Koundé are the two main targets for the Camp Nou side.
The France international is the favourite target for Xavi Hernández. At the same time, there are other clubs keen and this is when the west London club are mentioned. Despite this, Mundo state the centre-back is determined to join Barca.
Chelsea have signed Kalidou Koulibaly and want to take one more centre-back. Koundé and Paris Saint-Germain’s Presnel Kimpembe are named as their targets.
Sport explain Thomas Tuchel’s side have opened talks to sign the PSG star and are forgetting about the ex-Bordeaux man. This gives Barca optimism they are the only candidate for the latter.
This seems like an assumption from Sport and they use it to make a point that Sevilla are forced to negotiate with Barca. The Andalusian club want €60-65m, but Xavi’s side cannot meet these figures.
With Koundé ‘absolutely prioritising’ Barca, the report suggests Julen Lopetegui’s side will have to look for a way to find an agreement with their La Liga counterpart. Jorge Mendes acts as an intermediary and is reportedly looking for formulas that please both clubs.
Barcelona’s idea is to pay a maximum €45m fee and send Abde Ezzalzouli and Nico González to the Andalusian club in exchange for the central defender.
ABC Sevilla relay this claim and explain the option to take a player plus money seems difficult to accept for the Andalusian club. They also go on to dismiss Sport’s claim regarding Chelsea, and explain Tuchel’s side are still ‘lurking’ to sign the Frenchman.
ABC Sevilla state Koundé’s future ‘will be clarified’ this week. If the Blues are ready to meet Sevilla’s demands, then they may favour his sale to the English club over the Blaugrana.
