Chelsea hold off Barca to sign Kounde in €64m deal
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel at the pre-season cordial against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina.
Jules Kounde is set to turn into Chelsea's third summer marking in an arrangement that could permit chief Cesar Azpilicueta to join Barcelona.
Chelsea hope to have taken down off rivalry from Barca for Kounde. They have consented to pay Sevilla in the locale of £55 million (€64m) and have offered the defender a five-year contract.
Having signed Raheem Sterling in an arrangement worth £50m and Kalidou Koulibaly for £34m, Chelsea's new proprietors have now previously dedicated £139m to new signings since assuming control over the club with additional arrangements to follow.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta seemed to yield rout in the competition to sign Kounde by telling an ally in Las Vegas that the 23-year-old will move to Chelsea.
The marking of Kounde will finish up an extended quest for the player for Chelsea, who nearly signed him the previous summer before Sevilla moved the goal lines on the exchange expense.