Chelsea have reportedly made Barcelona star Jules Kounde a ‘top target’ for the summer, after Real Madrid have threatened their pursuit of another top defender.
Enzo Maresca’s side are gearing up for a big transfer window and are looking to strengthen in multiple areas to help build a team capable of competing for the Premier League title.
As we have consistently reported, Chelsea are keen to sign a new centre-back, who can provide compete with the likes of Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana for a starting spot.
According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Barcelona star Kounde is back at the top of Chelsea’s shortlist, following a failed pursuit back in 2022, when he was still a Sevilla player.
Chelsea were considered favourites to sign Kounde from Sevilla for months before they ultimately pulled out of negotiations and Barcelona swooped in to seal a £46m transfer three years ago.
The 26-year-old has since established himself as a key player for Barcelona. Although he’s played as a centre-back for most of his career, he’s now nailed down a spot in the Catalans’ starting XI as a right-back.
That versatility is reportedly a key reason why Chelsea are determined to win the race for his signature, even if they have other defensive targets in mind.
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Chelsea frustrated in Dean Huijsen pursuit
TEAMtalk transfer insider Fraser Fletcher revealed earlier this month that Chelsea are big admirers of Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen.
The Blues have already held talks with the 19-year-old agents to understand the conditions of a potential deal and his stance on a move to Stamford Bridge.
However, Chelsea could be frustrated in their attempts to sign Huijsen, as Real Madrid have since made him a top summer target as they look to sign defensive reinforcements of their own.
Also in the race are Liverpool and Tottenham. Huijsen has a £50m (€59m, $54.5m) release clause in his Bournemouth contract and it seems inevitable that one of his suitors will match it.
With this in mind, Chelsea may well turn to other options to bolster their back line.
Kounde has been linked with Chelsea off-and-on for months and there are rumours that Barcelona could sell him, due to their need to offload players amid their ongoing financial struggles.
Kounde’s contract at the Camp Nou is valid until 2027 so Barcelona are still in a relatively strong negotiating position and can demand a big fee.
SPORT’s report claims that a ‘big bid’ is expected from Chelsea for Kounde, so it will be interesting to see how the story plays out in the coming months.
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