Chelsea have halted progress on the proposed transfer of Jules Kounde - as they press ahead with a blockbuster move for Romelu Lukaku.
Kounde was earmarked as a key transfer target, with negotiations seemingly progressing well.
The Blues were reportedly on the verge of sealing a deal for the Sevilla defender last week, with boss Thomas Tuchel keen to bolster his backline this summer.
But since then, Chelsea's plans to lure Inter Milan striker Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge have accelerated.
The Blues have been on the hunt for an elite striker all summer, and that search could be set to finally culminate with a deal in excess of £100m for the 28-year-old hitman.
According to Sport (via Sport Witness ), the Blues have temporarily shelved the deal for Kounde whilst they attempt to thrash out an agreement for Lukaku.
Tuchel is still keen on Kounde, adding firepower to a strikeforce which failed to produce last term is a priority.
Midfielder Jorginho was Chelsea's top league scorer with seven goals.
Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner both managed just six strikes each, with neither assured of a starting berth when the new season begins next weekend.
Abraham has been linked with a host of clubs, including Southampton and Serie A side Atalanta this week.
Premier League rivals Arsenal are also believed to be keeping a close eye on Abraham's situation, with Chelsea open to the 23-year-old moving on this summer.
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Werner has endured a torrid maiden season since his £48m switch from RB Leipzig last year.
The German has looked a shadow of the player that convinced Chelsea to fork out that sum, often cutting a frustrated figure leading the line.
The Blues have also sanctioned the departure of Olivier Giroud to AC Milan earlier this summer, so securing Lukaku is now the priority.
This leaves Kounde's proposed switch in limbo for the foreseeable future.
The same report states that Chelsea now have 'fresh doubts' about a deal for the Frenchman.
Where that will leave Tuchel's bid to fortify the Blues defence is unclear.
Kurt Zouma's future will likely play a part in the scenario, with The Guardian reporting that Zouma's reluctance to depart Stamford Bridge is causing issues in the pursuit of Kounde.
The Chelsea defender was reportedly offered to the La Liga outfit as a makeweight in the deal.
However, Zouma wasn't thought to be keen on the deal, which could be one of the reasons that Chelsea are now hesitating.
The centre-half, who clocked up 24 league appearances last year, notching five goals in the process, has also turned down a switch to Premier League rivals West Ham.
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