Chelsea transfer target Jules Kounde has already admitted to paying Erling Haaland more focus amid the pair’s Champions League meeting last season.
The Sevilla centre-back has been recently linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, with reports from Sky Sports claiming that talks between the two clubs had been opened.
Meanwhile, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has suggested that personal terms for the defender have already been agreed on and that he is set to sign a five-year deal in west London should Chelsea and Sevilla agree on a fee.
Elsewhere, Erling Haaland ’s name has been linked with the Blues throughout the summer as Thomas Tuchel aims to bolster his forward line.
Various reports have speculated on the progress of any potential switch for the Borussia Dortmund man but as of now, he remains firmly the property of the German giants.
Despite that, Kounde and Haaland could still potentially be lining up on the same team at Stamford Bridge next season if moves to Chelsea indeed come to fruition.
The former gave his verdict on the Norwegian hitman after Sevilla were drawn to face Haaland’s employers Dortmund in the Champions League round of 16 last season.
Speaking to Marca ahead of the game, he said: "I didn't think much about it because I didn't have a preference [on who Sevilla would draw]. We're playing who we're playing. We're going to do our best to get through to the next round.
"Having said that, I will focus a bit more on Haaland, but not too much because football is a team sport and we'll try to carry out our game plan as well as possible."
As it turns out though, Kounde should certainly have paid even more attention to the 21-year-old forward.
Over the two matches, Haaland bagged four goals and notched a solitary assist, taking his overall Champions League record to a staggering 20 goals in just 16 appearances in the competition.
Dortmund eventually progressed past Sevilla 5-4 on aggregate to tee-up a clash with Manchester City.
Do you want an exclusive pre-season Chelsea preview - both in your inbox and through your letterbox? Head over here to find out more and secure your copy!
