Sevilla defender Jules Kounde has been linked with a move away from the Spanish club this summer, and the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona are determined to sign the player.
The French defender has grown into one of the most exciting defensive prospects in Spanish football, and it is no surprise that the top clubs are looking to secure his services.
According to a report from Sport, Chelsea have already offered a sum of around €65 million for the young centre-back, and they are prepared to pay him wages of around €12 million.
Meanwhile, Barcelona are keen on acquiring his services as well. Still, the La Liga club cannot compete with Chelsea financially, and they will be banking on the player to snub the Premier League club’s offer and opt to join them instead.
However, it remains to be seen whether Sevilla are willing to accept a lower offer from the Spanish rivals for their prized asset.
Chelsea have been quite active in the transfer market this summer, and they have already improved their defence with the signing of Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli. Kounde is another priority target for the Blues as they look to overhaul the defensive unit.
The Blues lost players like Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen earlier in the summer. Before the transfer window closes, Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso could be on their way out of the club.
Meanwhile, Barcelona will have to bring a reliable partner for defender Ronald Araujo, and Kounde could have been an excellent acquisition. The 22-year-old knows the league well and is well settled in Spanish football.
Barcelona will be hoping to challenge the league title and the Champions League next season, and they need to tighten up at the back. Although they have signed Andreas Christensen on a free transfer from Chelsea this summer, their prospects of landing the 22-year-old French defender do not look good.
A report from Sport adds that Barcelona will still make a last-ditch effort to sign the player, but their offer is unlikely to be as lucrative as Chelsea’s.