Chelsea

Chelsea

Premier League • England

Jules Kounde transfer news: Chelsea back in contact with a bang, as July price hike looms

Jules Kounde France June 2022

Chelsea are reportedly back in the hunt and ready to “charge back” for Jules Kounde with Sevilla threatening a hike in price. 

Kounde has been a serious target for Chelsea in the last three transfer windows. Marina Granovskaia though was unable to see a deal through. The LaLiga side did keep moving the goalposts over price and the same could be happening again.

According to ABC Sevilla Todd Boehly is interested in a move for the 23-year-old and ready to “charge back” into contention.

Sport have suggested that contact between the clubs has not been made in recent weeks, prompting talk that Chelsea had switched their attention.

The Telegraph also reported Kounde “is no longer the top target in that position”.

But that talk has been torpedoed in Spain on Wednesday. A couple of different sources have claimed a deal is still possible.

ABC Sevilla, via Sport Witness claim there has been a contact between the LaLiga side and the west London club “in the last few hours”.

Boehly, who is leading transfer talks at Stamford Bridge, knows the need for defensive cover. Both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have left the club on free transfers.

Chelsea have notified Sevilla of an impeding offer and it is their “firm intention” to close a deal for the France defender as soon as possible.

The Blues and the player and his agent Jonathan Kebe want a deal done before Sevilla start pre-season training.

Mundo Deportivo tell a similar tale and say Chelsea and Barcelona have the “most interest” in the player. Sevilla though will not let Kounde go for less than his market value and are waiting for the biggest offer.

The report claims Sevilla have set a deadline of July 5. It’s a date which has been referenced before by The Mirror.

Kounde deadline date

That was thought to be due to Sevilla departing for Portugal on a pre-season tour on July 6.

Now though Mundo state the defender’s asking price will increase. And it will be close to his €80m release clause after that date.

Whether or not that clause is an official one in the player’s contract or a facet added by Sevilla is unclear.

The price tag on the player at the moment is understood to be around £56m. But a deal after the deadline could now cost Chelsea close to £70m.

That explains why Boehly has upped the ante and re-engaged with the Spanish club.

Personal terms on a five-year deal contract between Kounde and Chelsea are understood to have been agreed in principle. 

Those foundations were laid by down by Granovskaia last summer before the transfer collapsed.

READ MORE: Todd Boehly makes Kalidou Koulibaly enquiry which could trigger huge repercussions in Naples