- Long standing defensive target finally set to seal Chelsea move following takeover
- Koundé seen as like for like replacement for Real Madrid bound Rudiger
- Seville themselves are now in the market for defenders, with their two starting center backs sealing Premier League moves
Jules Koundé is finally set to seal his move to West London, with official announcements expected to be made after the current set of international fixtures.
The ball-playing center back has long been linked with a move to Chelsea since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge. The German tactician is understood to be a huge fan of the Frenchman, and he earmarked his signature long before the summer exits of Antoine Rudiger and Andreas Christensen were confirmed.
Seville, in a similar position to Chelsea, will be losing their first-choice center back pairing to Premier League clubs this summer. Koundé’s pending exit follows the announcement of Diego Carlos’ switch to Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa in a £26 million move.
Koundé’s transfer is expected to cost between £40-50 million as Chelsea try to negotiate their way around Seville’s €80 million buy-out clause for the defender. A potential swap deal could also be negotiated, with Seville reported to hold an interest in Chelsea trio Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi.