Recently, it was said that Tottenham led the race to sign Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, who is also a target for Barcelona.
The France international has risen to stardom in Spain following a move from Bordeaux in 2019, with Sevilla demanding a sum of £55m for their No.23 – Chelsea are supposedly prepared to pay that amount.
Newcastle are another side interested in Kounde, but there has now been a significant development.
What’s the story?
Well, Julen Lopetegui has left the 23-year-old out of Sevilla’s squad for the pre-season trip to Portugal, with internal talks taking place about selling the centre-back.
By the sounds of it, Kounde is very close to leaving the Spanish side.
While Tottenham did lead the race, it seems Chelsea have edged ahead of them in the battle for the Frenchman.
According to The Sun, the Blues are on the brink of signing Kounde, after submitting an improved £55m bid.
Now, it will be interesting to see if Antonio Conte reacts to that news, with the Italian still hunting for a new defender.
What Tottenham might do if they miss out on Jules Kounde
If Kounde does move to west London instead of north London, Conte has other options.
For one, his old defensive titan Alessandro Bastoni is believed to be on Tottenham’s radar, a player who helped Conte win the Serie A title at Inter Milan in the 2020/21 campaign.
Another centre-back Spurs have shortlisted is Gleison Bremer, although the Brazilian seems likely to join Juventus.
Crystal Palace and England gem Marc Guéhi is also admired by Fabio Paratici – Director of Football at Tottenham – so Spurs clearly have alternatives to Kounde.
In our view, there could even be two new arrivals, as Joe Rodon is desperate to leave, while Japhet Tanganga enters talks with AC Milan.
Keep an eye on this situation, as Kounde’s new club should soon become apparent.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
