Thomas Tuchel is still looking to get some final transfer business done before the end of the summer transfer window, but Chelsea have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Jules Kounde
Chelsea have suffered a blow in their hopes of signing Sevilla defender Jules Kounde after the La Liga side's president Jose Castro spoke out about the speculation.
With Kurt Zouma's £25m move to West Ham looking as though it will go ahead, the Blues are in need of reinforcements at the back.
Chelsea have been linked with France international Kounde all summer after he impressed once again for Sevilla last season.
The 22-year-old is able to play at centre-back or in a traditional right-back role, making him the perfect candidate to play on the right of Thomas Tuchel's back-three system.
However, Sevilla president Castro appears to have poured cold water on any talk that Chelsea were set to make a move for Kounde.
“At the moment Kounde is a Sevilla player," said Castro
"What we have done this year is to reinforce, we’ve signed six footballers. We want to have a powerful team,”.
“We always study the offers that may come. But the days are running out, for now there is nothing”.
Castro's comments appear to contradict claims from Gianluca Di Marzio that Chelsea were nearing a £42m deal for Kounde.
The Euro 2020 star was expected to become a Chelsea player before the end of the window, despite the club not meeting his £68m release clause.
Chelsea have also held talks with Atletico Madrid over central-midfielder Saul Niguez with the Spanish club open to a season-long loan deal.
Tuchel will again need to flog some of his out-of-favour midfielders such as Ross Barkley, Danny Drinkwater and Tiemoue Bakayoko in order to make space.
But the Blues are still ahead of rivals Manchester United in the race to sign the Spaniard.
