Sevilla deny Chelsea have agreed transfer deal for Jules Kounde

Sevilla president José Castro Carmona has said nothing is agreed regarding Jules Kounde’s potential move to Chelsea.

The Blues have been chasing the defender all summer after he enjoyed a terrific 2020/21 campaign. Last season Kounde missed just four La Liga games, also helping his side to a comfortable fourth-placed finish. 

A host of other top European clubs have been linked in the past but Chelsea has been his most likely destination for some time, and negotiations have stepped up recently. However, Sevilla president Castro has denied that an agreement has been reached at present.

“At the moment Kounde is a Sevilla player. What we have done this year is to reinforce, we’ve signed six footballers. We want to have a powerful team,” said Castro, via Estadio Deportivo.

“We always study the offers that may come. But the days are running out, for now there is nothing.”

Chelsea could be waiting until Kurt Zouma’s departure to West Ham is confirmed before they move for a replacement centre-back in Kounde. That deal is imminent with the player undertaking a medical in Paris on Thursday. 

90min understands that Zouma will become the Hammers’ highest earner, taking home £145,000 per week, which is a 50% pay rise on his Chelsea salary. 

He becomes the latest departure at Stamford Bridge is what has been a busy summer. The likes of Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham and Davide Zappacosta have been sold to free up the funds to sign Romelu Lukaku. 

As well as Kounde, Chelsea have also initially agreed a loan move for Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez. Thomas Tuchel is keen to add one more midfielder to his squad and Saul is seen as the perfect short-term solution.