DONE DEAL:Jules Kounde £51m Arrived in London for Chelsea Medical, Check For More updates

Jules Kounde to Chelsea has been a story that has been around for a while now but one that will most likely be solved in the summer due to the Blues’ need to fix the wing-back situation before the January transfer window closes.

In reality, this deal could have already been done if it wasn’t for Sevilla performing a U-turn in the dying embers of the summer transfer window. Initially, Marina Granovskaia reportedly agreed a £42million deal for the defender but Monchi and co. went cold on the deal which was said to have infuriated Kounde at the time.

Thankfully for the European champions, the rise of Trevoh Chalobah has meant that Thomas Tuchel hasn’t suffered one bit in the defensive department this season, but with four players out of contract in the backline as it stands this summer, signing a centre-back is back on the agenda ahead of the upcoming transfer windows.

This is where Kounde comes in andfootball.london brings you all the latest updates surrounding the 23-year-old and his ideal move to west London, which could happen at any moment if Chelsea were to flex their financial muscles once again.

Andreas Christensen replacement

The Danish centre-half doesn’t view his future at Chelsea, as per Shay Lugassi of the Barca Times.

Could Kounde be the natural replacement for the Blues contract rebel who seems to be trying to push through an exit to Catalunya.

Alternatively, Niklas Sule has been viewed as a potential option if the deal for Sevilla’s French defender was not to go through for whatever reason.

Chelsea ‘seem close’ to Jules Kounde summer signing, Sport Witness reports.

Now that doesn’t mean that the interested clubs won’t start moving for a summer transfer. And that’s what Chelsea are already doing, according to today’s report from Tutto Mercato Web.

The website writes that the Blues are coming ‘with strength to try to close the operation’. With Marina Granovskaia leading the attempt, they’re said to be offering an initial payment of €55million (£46.1million) plus €5million (£4.2million) in bonuses.

Tutto Mercato Web claims the agreement between the clubs ‘seems close’, and the defender could indeed leave Sevilla to join the Blues next summer.

Newcastle’s soon-to-be £67million January transfer ventures could have a knock on effect on Chelsea and Marina Granovskaia, who still have their eyes on Jules Kounde ahead of a potential summer swoop.

Sky Sports’ Newcastle correspondent Keith Downie provided an update on the situation: “Diego Carlos has told Sevilla he wants to leave for Newcastle United.

“We are told the Brazilian defender is handing in a transfer request to the club President. Newcastle are in advanced discussions with the Spanish club. Fee being discussed in region of £30million.”

Losing potentially Carlos and Kounde in the forthcoming months seems unreasonable for Julen Lopetegui’s club but the financial state of La Liga could mean that the Andalusian’s cash in on both and sign cheaper replacements.

Whatever they do decide, Monchi and co are willing to give Newcastle’s new board the Chelsea treatment as signs of the Kounde saga are re-emerging in this example, as transfer guru Fabrizio Romano clarified.

In a tweet, he said: “Diego Carlos has agreed personal terms with Newcastle on potential five-year deal. No doubt on player’s side.

“Sevilla are keeping the same position as for Jules Kounde deal with Chelsea last summer: ‘important’ bid or no agreement. €35million (£29.4million), not enough. Talks ongoing.”

Chelsea will hope this deal will not scupper their long-term defensive plans in the transfer market but one thing that is for certain is the fact that Newcastle’s potential £67million spend is causing havoc to numerous clubs around the Premier League.

Liverpool aim to outgun Premier League rivals Chelsea in the transfer race for Sevilla’s own version of ‘Fabio Cannavaro’ in the form of Jules Kounde by meeting one certain condition.

Kounde, 23, has established himself as a long-term target of the club with Thomas Tuchel a known admirer of the Sevilla centre-back, who could be the first of many to be signed as part of a defensive reshuffle.

However, Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp may yet ruin Chelsea’s plans by making their own big play for the Frenchman, who could add to the extensive quality in the backline of the Reds at the expense of Nathaniel Phillips, who is destined for the exit door at Anfield.

Spanish outlet El Nacional claims Liverpool are happy to meet Kounde’s £68.5million release clause and could make a move for the defender this month.

Whether that prompts Chelsea to match the Reds’ offer is unclear, although the Blues refused to raise their bid to meet that fee over the summer.

Worryingly though, Sevilla’s number 23 “has given his approval to the offer presented to him by Liverpool”, according to the Spanish outlet.

Chelsea fans have demanded that the Blues make a move for Kounde after his red card against Barcelona.

The French defender was shown a straight red card on December 21 as Sevilla hosted the Catalan giants at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

With the scores level at 1-1, Kounde was involved in a confrontation with Barcelona defender Jordi Alba. The Spaniard appeared to push the Sevilla man whilst trying to receive a ball that had gone out of play, before Kounde threw the ball in Alba’s face.

@CJ_Kirin reckons: ‘Kounde is done with Spain. Chelsea better get this boy quickly!’

@Benjamin_dw tweeted: ‘Kounde needed at Chelsea.’

January deal possible as Tuchel remains a huge fan

According to ESPN, Sevilla are willing to drop their €80million (£68million) valuation of Kounde, which could allow the Blues to swoop in and make a move before next summer.

The Spanish side are now reportedly willing to accept a fee in the region of €50million to €60million (£42.5million to £51million), with the defender now in the final two-and-a-half years of his contract.

The report says a move in the summer is more likely than in January, but given Chelsea’sdefensive requirements, Tuchel could accelerate a potential transfer if the price drops sufficiently.

Kounde is also said to be keen on a move to Stamford Bridge and has reportedly agreed a contract of around four or five years in preparation for a transfer.

It seems as though the Frenchman’s impeding move to west London could be at the detriment of Azpilicueta, with the same outlet claiming that Barcelona are closely monitoring his situation.

Tuchel is reportedly a huge admirer of Kounde, dating back to when he was Paris Saint-German manager and Kounde was at Bordeaux.

Lille’s Sven Botman and Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix are also said to be targets, as Tuchel looks to strengthen his backline.

Tuchel previously admitted Chelsea will have to re-evaluate whether to launch a future move for Jules Kounde given the situation at centre-back has changed due to Chalobah’s impressive form.

During the summer transfer window, Chelsea pushed hard to bring the France international to Stamford Bridge. Talks between the Blues and the La Liga club lasted several weeks and there was a stage at which an agreement appeared close.

However, in the final days of the window, Sevilla raised their asking price given they had little time to bring in a replacement. Chelsea’s official bid was rejected as a result.

“I think every transfer period you need to evaluate again,” Tuchel said. “You cannot say what we wanted in the summer, we do in the winter. And what we want to do in winter, we want to do the next summer. It is not like this.

“Your opinion changes, players change, you have evolvement in the group, you have an atmosphere that you build, you see who is absolutely reliable and these connections build up and create something special hopefully in the group.

“So you cannot say what we tried in the summer did not happen so we will try again for sure in the winter. Sometimes it is like this. If we see the same need, but clearly, Trevoh is now here with us and he deserves to be here with us. It had nothing to do with if we can sign another central defender or not. But he stepped up.

“The responsibility was even more on his shoulders and he can handle it so far in a very impressive way. This is the situation and it has an effect on our next decisions in the next transfer period. It is always like this.”

Kounde has also revealed that his failed move to Chelsea in the summer affected him in the aftermath.

Speaking to French outlet TF1, Kounde spoke about the impact of the Chelsea move that never was in the summer: “Did it affect me? Yes, a little bit, but now I’ve dealt with it.”

Who should Chelsea look to keep, loan or sell this January? Have your say from the options below

Sevilla president Castro has confirmed the club will sell Kounde should they receive the appropriate offer for the defender, with Chelsea previously interested in his services.

Manchester United have recently been linked with a move for the Frenchman as well, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the manager amid Raphael Varane’s injury concerns.

Now, Castro has confirmed that Sevilla will allow Kounde to leave the club in January should an appropriate offer – which may well involve his release clause being triggered – comes their way over the winter transfer window.

The Sevilla president told Cope: “Jules Kounde deal? We’re not going to change our position. If the proposal we receive is out of market, we will sell our players to sign new ones