Chelsea have agreed a five-year contract with Sevilla center-back Jules Kounde and are in advanced talks with the Andalusian club over a possible swap deal with Kurt Zouma.
Kounde has been on the radar of a number of top clubs, including Real Madrid and Manchester United, since winning the Europa League with Sevilla 2020.
Chelsea, however, had mainly focused on a new striker ahead of the new season, but the Blues have spied on an opportunity to move quickly for Kounde and secure the signature of a rising star who will improve their back line both now and in the long term.
It was reported early on Tuesday afternoon that talks about a deal for Kounde had begun and Chelsea seemed to have wasted some time speeding up their quest for the 22-year-old talent.
Just a few hours later, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that a five-year contract and personal terms have been agreed with Kounde until 2026 and talks between the clubs are now believed to have shifted to negotiating the exact transfer fee and hitting the “advanced” stage.
EXCL. Jules Koundé update: Chelsea are in advanced talks with Sevilla and Kurt Zouma can be included in the negotiations. Possible swap agreement to go through the next hours / days with Zouma + money for Koundé to Chelsea. ? #CFC
Personal terms agreed for Koundé until 2026.
– Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 27, 2021
It is proposed that an agreement is not far away and that the current Chelsea defender Zouma can be included in a partial exchange in addition to Sevilla being paid a cash amount.
Zouma was in and out of the Chelsea team under Thomas Tuchel in the second half of last season, after being a regular start for former manager Frank Lampard before Christmas.
If the contract were to be agreed, it would leave Tuchel with Kounde, Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Thiago Silva as his leading midfield options for the coming season.
Kounde is believed to be particularly keen on playing for a club in the Champions League, which was the main reason when he was reportedly denied the chance to explore interest from Tottenham earlier this month.
For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!
