According to CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, who spoke to GiveMeSport on Tuesday, Chelsea have agreed personal terms with Sevilla center-back Jules Koundé, though a move to Barcelona is now possible.
Thomas Tuchel's team is in need of a center-back after both Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen left the club this summer.
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What's the most recent news on Koundé?
Sevilla's director of football, Monchi, told Mundo Deportivo earlier this month that a number of clubs (including English clubs) were interested in signing Koundé this summer, before naming Chelsea in the interview.
However, the La Liga club's president also told the outlet that Barcelona head coach Xavi admired the 23-year-old.
Chelsea have been interested in Koundé for some time, according to the Mirror, and it's likely that the Premier League side will sign multiple center-backs this summer, following the departure of the aforementioned duo.
And Jacobs believes the west London club is serious about signing the 11-time France international, though the deal could fall through if it is not completed quickly.
What did Jacobs have to say about Koundé?
"Sevilla want nearly £60 million," he told GIVEMESPORT.
Chelsea have agreed on personal terms, but the longer this goes on, the more likely it is that another club will hijack the deal.
Koundé wants his future resolved as soon as possible, and there has been little progress between Chelsea and Sevilla.
Will Koundé sign with Chelsea?
While Chelsea are likely to sign more than one center-back this summer, there is a chance that the longer the deal for Koundé lasts, the more likely Tuchel's side will move on to other targets this summer, with the Premier League season starting in less than a month.
The Premier League club has already completed the signing of Napoli and Senegal centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly for a fee of around £33.8 million.
Chelsea are reportedly working on a bid for their former center-back Nathan Aké, who is currently playing for Manchester City, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Tuchel, on the other hand, would not begrudge the signing of Koundé, and if Chelsea can secure a deal for the £54m-rated centre-back, the club could begin to look at other areas of the pitch that could be strengthened.
While it appears that other centre-back targets are closer to a move to Stamford Bridge than the Sevilla man, his arrival in west London should not be ruled out, and Chelsea may have a new look defense on their hands come August.
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