Chelsea have apparently made progress in their pursuit of Jules Kounde, putting Thomas Tuchel one step closer to securing his top defensive target.
Tuchel is looking to boost his defensive ranks as the West Londoners aim to dethrone Man City as English champions, and the European champions have been extensively linked with a deal for the French defender all summer.
On Wednesday, rumours surfaced that Chelsea and the Spaniards had encountered a stumbling block in their negotiations, with the two clubs valuing the 22-year-old at vastly different levels.
However, Gianluca Di Marzio claims that a €50 million (£42.7 million) transaction is 'nearly done,' which would be a significant boost for the Blues.
The most recent developments follow an update from Fabrizio Romano, who stated that the English side 'wanted to proceed with the final official bid to finalize the sale.'
According to reports, Kounde's move to Stamford Bridge is contingent on the sale of Blues defender Kurt Zouma, who is reportedly close to a £25 million move to West Ham.
The Hammers have run into a number of roadblocks in their pursuit of the 26-year-old, including his wage demands of over £100,000-per-week, as well as the involvement of'multiple agents' in the negotiations, according to Football London.
Despite this, there is optimism that Zouma will be a West Ham player before the window shuts, freeing up a space for Kounde in West London.
Kounde's arrival would round off a fantastic window for Tuchel. While Chelsea have not brought in a host of fresh faces, Romelu Lukaku's £98m return from Inter has provided Tuchel with the elite goalscorer he has long desired, while Kounde is one of the most promising central defenders in European football.
The 22-year-old has been a stalwart in Julen Lopetegui's defence for some time, making 91 appearances for Sevilla since switching from Bordeaux.
He was also included in Didier Deschamps's squad for Euro 2020 this summer, in which France made a shock exit to Switzerland in the last-16
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