Sevilla are said to be ‘secretly fuming’ with defender Jules Kounde, who opted to play for France with an injury, ahead of a potential transfer to Chelsea, according to reports.
The 23-year-old has been heavily linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge this summer, with Thomas Tuchel in desperate need of central defenders.
Both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen are departing the club at the end of their deals in June, with the German already officially announced as a Real Madrid player for next season.
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The most recent reports have stated that talks are continuing between Chelsea and Sevilla to guarantee the signing this summer.
A deal for the French international has not been easy so far, as Sevilla will demand €65 million for the Blues target, with Tuchel’s side reportedly having already offered €50 million for the defender.
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Jose Maria Cruz said: “Again, the player, I am sure, respects Sevilla FC. He is happy with us. In the case of Kounde, it is not a matter of money. It’s a matter of him wanting to play in a more competitive team than Sevilla FC.
“I am sure he is a player that is attractive for teams like Chelsea, FC Barcelona, Bayern Munich and these types of teams. He wants to play in a more competitive team.”
However, a deal was thrown into doubt as Kounde picked up an injury during international duty with France.
French boss Didier Deschamps confirmed that the defender will undergo surgery following a groin issue.
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He said: “I know very well his athletic condition today. Tomorrow, he will have (surgical) intervention because he has a problem that dates from several months ago.”
While Kounde had been playing with this issue throughout the season and Chelsea were aware of this, Sevilla are ‘secretly fuming’ that the defender chose to play for France against Croatia, knowing the extent of the issue.
The Sun report Sevilla’s fury in their defender, believing that his negligence could force Chelsea to turn away from a deal this summer.
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They continue to reveal that Kounde knows the operation is a minor one, with him set to be out for three to four weeks over the summer, but the defender himself knows it could affect his chances of the move.
Sevilla are keen for a deal to be done quickly so that they can rebuild their defence but now it appears that Chelsea could wait until after the surgery, throwing Sevilla’s transfer plans into doubt.
Topics: Chelsea, Chelsea Transfer News & Rumours, Jules Kounde, Sevilla, France, Football
Nick Emms