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Chelsea are eyeing a move for Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar this summer amid their recent snub from Jules Kounde who is close to a move to Barcelona, according to reports.
Kounde has been a long-term target for the Blues, having nearly joined the club last summer from Sevilla.
He remained at the La Liga outfit throughout the course of last season, with Thomas Tuchel’s side rekindling their interest in the 23-year-old in the hopes of signing him for the forthcoming campaign.
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However, it now appears as though the Frenchman is heading to Barcelona, with the Camp Nou thought to be his preferred destination all along, although he was open to a move to Stamford Bridge.
With a move to Chelsea now looking unlikely, the Blues will now have to turn their attention to other targets before the end of the window.
Kalidou Koulibaly has been their only defensive signing of the summer so far, with at least one more expected to arrive before the new season.
The Guardian are reporting that Tuchel’s side may focus on the signing of Skriniar from Inter, with the 27-year-old said to be on their radar.
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As the window progresses, there is a chance Chelsea could lose out on other targets, with the Slovakian international now emerging as a potential option.
Previous reports have backed up these claims, but have also said that the Blues may have to go into battle with Paris Saint-Germain for his signature.
Presnel Kimpembe and Josko Gvardiol are also said to be targets, but the former is happy at PSG and RB Leipzig do not want to sell the latter.
Skriniar is thought to not be the only Inter player that is of interest to Chelsea, with the west London side also keen on Denzel Dumfries.
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The Serie A outfit would not want to sell him for less than €40 million, although they need to sell a major player this summer and the 26-year-old could therefore be the one to depart.
While there may be more incomings at Chelsea this summer, the club could be set to work on departures ahead of the new season.
It is believed that Cesar Azpilicueta, Marcos Alonso and Timo Werner all want to leave the club; the first two are both targets for Barcelona, while the German has been linked with a return to RB Leipzig.
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As well as Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling has made the move to Stamford Bridge this summer, with Chelsea looking to compete on various fronts once again next season.
However, their pre-season form has suggested that they may not be ready for the new campaign, having won just one of their three games.
They have also netted just three goals, and shipped four against Arsenal in their most recent fixture.
Chelsea face one final test this summer when they face Udinese on Friday evening.
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Chelsea, Inter Milan, Jules Kounde, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours