Sevilla defender Jules Kounde has been linked with a move away from the Spanish club this summer.
According to the latest reports, Premier League giants Chelsea are keen on signing the player and have agreed on a £55m fee with Sevilla for the Frenchman.
Barcelona have been credited with an interest in the player as well. However, there were rumours that they would not be able to match up with Chelsea financially.
It seems that the tables have now turned.
Spanish journalist Gerard Romero has dropped a transfer bombshell earlier, claiming that Barcelona have agreed on a deal with Sevilla for Jules Koundé, and the player will end up joining the Catalan giants barring a last-minute shocker.
The 22-year-old is one of the best defenders in the Spanish league, and he would have been a quality acquisition for Chelsea. It will be interesting to see how the Blues cope with this transfer blow.
They lost players like Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen earlier in the summer, and Thomas Tuchel needs to bring proper defensive reinforcements.
The Blues signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli, but they need to bring in another centre-back at the very least. Kounde was expected to be that signing.
Chelsea cannot head into the new season with Koulibaly and Silva as their only reliable centre-backs. Cesar Azpilicueta has been linked with an exit as well.
As for Barcelona, this could be a massive boost as they look to get back to the top of Spanish football next season. Kounde will partner Ronald Araujo at the back, and he will improve Barcelona immensely.
