Chelsea have been handed a fresh boost in their transfer pursuit of Sevilla defender Jules Kounde at the end of the season.
football.london understands that the Blues were interested in signing the 23-year-old during the summer transfer window but they were unable to reach an agreement with his current employers, Sevilla, over a fee.
Marca recently reported that Chelsea are 'convinced' that they can lure Kounde away from the Seville-based club at the end of the season as the west Londoners look to bolster their defensive options.
As well as this, fellow Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Sevilla are interested in signing Lazio defender Luiz Felipe - which is set to hand Chelsea a huge boost.
The Spanish club are reportedly eyeing new defenders, with the futures of Kounde and Newcastle United-linked Diego Carlos still uncertain.
Sevilla director Monchi, when speaking in November of last year, revealed the reasons behind Chelsea's unsuccessful pursuit of Kounde last summer.
Monchi said to Canal Sur Radio: "The proposal for [Jules] Koundé last summer [from Chelsea] was great, the most important we received in our history - but it wasn’t meeting our price tag. Also, we received the bid in an inopportune moment."
What has Tuchel said on Kounde?
Speaking in September of last year, just after the summer transfer window closed, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed the club's interest in Kounde.
He said: "Marina [Granovskaia] was in charge and she is the best person who can be in charge. We were in contact and Petr Cech was in contact. Us three we knew about all the situations.
"We knew things can happen, things can happen late, and we were also very aware of the situation that, maybe, nothing happens at all.
"I assured everybody that I’m also happy if we cannot bring a player in. We will find the solution within the squad. We will push players within the squad.
"But it was clear we tried for Kounde and Saul and it was very, very late, but it was a very, very smooth transfer window because I had full concentration on training and on my team."
