Chelsea’s fresh Jules Kounde bid rejected as Sevilla take transfer fight down to deadline | Football | Sport
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Chelsea have had a new Jules Kounde transfer bid rejected and have learned that they must pay the £60million release clause inserted into the player’s Sevilla contract, according to reports. Kounde has been a transfer target for the Blues all summer and it now appears that a deal will tick into the final hours of Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.
Thomas Tuchel has been keen to sign a new centre-back given that he has several issues in the position, despite the impressive performances of each of his back three during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool.
Cesar Azpilicueta, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were all excellent at Anfield but have each entered the final year of their contracts. Chelsea are trying hard to tie down the trio to fresh deals.
Tuchel has also lost Kurt Zouma, who has joined West Ham in a £25m transfer. The emergence of academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah has not been enough to convince the head coach that he does not need additions in the position.
Chelsea have tried to sign France international Kounde all summer but continue to hit obstacles blocking the completion of a deal.
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Third choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has also arrived on a free transfer after being released by Fulham. The Croydon-born shot-stopper will provide competition to Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arizzabalaga.
Tuchel promised at the end of last season not to make sweeping changes to a squad which sensationally lifted the Champions League in May.
Lukaku’s arrival has provided the German with a genuinely elite goalscorer, the only player Tuchel truly lacked. His signing has elevated the Blues among the Premier League title contenders.
Chelsea have had a solid start to the new season, with comfortable wins over Crystal Palace and Arsenal. Their stalemate with Liverpool means that they remain unbeaten.
After the 2-0 victory over Arsenal a week ago, Tuchel suggested that he would be happy with his squad if no further signings were made after Lukaku.
“I am absolutely happy with our squad and the alternatives we have,” he said.
“It’s not too big a squad, we were missing Christian Pulisic today and that meant everybody else was in the squad.
“That means we maybe don’t have the biggest squad but that we have a very competitive squad in all positions.
“This, on one hand, is necessary because we play a lot of competitions and we play the World Club Cup in December.
“We also played very long last season and there was the Euros and Copa America.
“So if we want to compete we need this level. But at the same time, it’s also important we’re a strong group, this was maybe the key for the last half a year. We played with a strong bond and a great team spirit.
“This is a challenge for the team and for me to create this atmosphere again. And that everybody is ready to take hard decisions and keep pushing the team.
“If we do this we can achieve more than we have.”
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