Chelsea in 2021: Champions of Europe as Tuchel takes control
Chelsea have already agreed personal terms with Jules Kounde and want to sign the player in January, according to reports. However, Chelsea are not the only major club in Europe who want to buy the Sevilla defender. Kounde was targeted by the Blues in the summer but Sevilla's asking price put off director Marina Granovskaia.
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"Obviously the financial terms remain fine, they were accepted in the summer.
"Kounde's basically waiting to see if Granovskaia will meet Monchi's asking price in the window, and whether Monchi will move goalposts again to put the price beyond what Chelsea are prepared to pay - not what they're able to pay, but what they're prepared to pay - and whether he's going to have to wait until the summer for a move."
However, Castles says there is also interest from Real Madrid and Manchester United in Kounde, which is putting pressure on Chelsea to get a deal done next month.
Sevilla would accept less than the £67.9million (€80m) release clause in the player's contract.
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Chelsea transfer news: Jules Kounde has a release clause of around £68m (Image: EXPRESS)
Castles added: "During the last transfer window, there was also interest in the player from Real Madrid and a degree of interest from Manchester United.
"So there is pressure on Chelsea here, although they have the player's agreement, they do kind of need to get the deal done in case another major club comes in and says to Monchi 'okay, we'll meet that asking price' and are able to say to Kounde 'we're as good an option as Chelsea, we'll meet the financial terms, come to us instead'.
"The release clause is €80m, Sevilla are prepared to sell for less than that but not substantially less."