Chelsea ‘still trying’ to seal Jules Kounde transfer but Thomas Tuchel has two dilemmas

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Chelsea have not given up on the signing of Sevilla defender Jules Kounde ahead of this month’s transfer deadline, according to reports. The Blues have been chasing the 22-year-old for a number of weeks, but their progress appears to have stalled in recent days.

Thomas Tuchel is said to be a huge admirer of Kounde, who made 49 appearances for Sevilla in all competitions last season.

Chelsea have been locked in negotiations with the La Liga heavyweights for some time, with the player reportedly agreeing personal terms on a five-year contract earlier this month.

However, the European champions are reluctant to meet Kounde’s hefty release clause, which currently stands at £77million.

Sevilla are not prepared to accept a cut-price fee for the defender, with the stubborn approach of both parties leading the situation to an impasse.

The Blues have already spent £97m on the club-record signing of Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan and will likely need to sell players before launching a big-money approach for Kounde.

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Although the likelihood of a move away from Sevilla appears to be dwindling, Chelsea are still hoping that a deal to land the Frenchman can be agreed over the coming days, according to football.london.

The report claims that Kounde could still join the Blues this summer, with club chiefs ‘still trying’ to find a solution.

However, there are said to be two overriding factors that could spark a late change in Tuchel’s transfer strategy.

Chelsea have been looking to offload Kurt Zouma in order to accommodate Kounde’s arrival, but no buyer has been found as of yet.

Zouma is believed to have turned down the advances of West Ham United earlier this summer, with his presence at Stamford Bridge preventing the Blues from pushing a move for Kounde over the line.

Meanwhile, the emergence of Trevoh Chalobah has reportedly left Tuchel wondering if the addition of a new midfielder should be prioritised over Kounde.

The 22-year-old impressed during pre-season and was rewarded for his efforts with a starting berth against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Chalobah went on to produce an excellent performance on the right of Chelsea’s back three, chipping in with his side’s third goal of the afternoon in the process.

It remains to be seen whether Tuchel will eventually place his trust in Chalobah on a long-term basis or continue his pursuit of Kounde as the transfer window draws to a close.

The latter previously admitted that he is expecting to leave Sevilla this summer, with the likes of Tottenham also being linked with his services in recent months.

“Regarding my future, it’s certain that I will perhaps have to change clubs this summer,” Kounde told reporters back in May.

“But nothing has been finalised yet. I have not decided anything. My goal is to play for a big club, to try to always progress and to win trophies.

“It’s true that I might have to move, but that’s not relevant today.”

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