Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd eye free agent, Chelsea bid £55m for Kounde, Arsenal done deal
Chelsea transfer target Jules Kounde was left out of Sevilla's 31-man squad that travelled to Portugal to face French side Angers in a pre-season friendly as his £55m move to Stamford Bridge edges closer. The Blues are in advanced talks to sign the 23-year-old France international centre-back, who was the subject of a failed £42.5m proposal from Thomas Tuchel last summer. Earlier this week, Chelsea tabled a fresh bid of £51m before upping their offer by an additional £4m in an attempt to close the deal. Kounde, who wants to test himself in the Premier League, could be set to follow Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly through the door as Todd Boehly looks to mark the start of the new era at Chelsea in style. However, if Chelsea are to get the deal over the line, they will have to see off strong interest from Barcelona with the Catalan giants also locked in talks with Sevilla. The Andalusian club are keen to drive an auction for Kounde and will hand Barcelona the chance to match Chelsea's highest offer before striking any deal. Barca's financial struggles have seemingly been eased by their lucrative £239m Spotify sponsorship deal, which has been the key driving force behind their summer spending power.
Club to make last ditch attempt to stop Chelsea transfer – ‘Around €60m’ to be offered this week
Barcelona are planning one last attempt to scupper Chelsea’s move for Sevilla defender Jules Koundé with a bid of ‘around €60m’. That’s according to journalist Jose Alvarez, who insists the Catalans have not given up on the Frenchman just yet. Koundé is again at the centre of a transfer saga this summer, with Chelsea once more pushing to try and secure his signature. They appeared to be on the verge of finally getting their man, as reports today made clear they were still negotiating with Sevilla on a deal. It was believed that a deal could be done by Sunday, which was backed up by the player being left out of Sevilla’s squad for a pre-season trip to Portugal. Barcelona are also keen on the defender, but their financial restrictions have meant a move was difficult, paving the way for Chelsea to get their man. However, it appears the Catalans have not given up just yet, with Alvarez reporting they will make an offer of ‘around €60m’ by the end of the week.
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