Barcelona set to STEAL Chelsea signing from UNDER THEIR FEET
One of the Blues' targets looked set for a move to London, but Barcelona have achieved the impossible
It was a done deal. Joan Laporta told fans that he wasn't coming. The club started to negotiate with Íñigo Martínez. Even the last minute move to force the player into a plane to play with his current club wasn't doing the trick. Jules Koundé was a Chelsea player. But... it didn't happen.
The Jules Koundé transfer saga takes another turn
Barcelona president had warned the public that after the signings of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski, they were going to shift their focus to the defence. It made sense, since most of Barça's "deadwood" was there: Clement Lenglet loaned to Tottenham, Samuel Umtiti's deal to Rennes collapsing at the last minute, and even Oscar Mingueza and Gerard Piqué looking more outside than in. Their choice was Sevilla's Jules Koundé, but Chelsea was a mighty foe.
However, now the tables have switched once again. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Catalan giants feel they're "close" to sealing a deal, as they are putting together a new offer for Sevilla. With personal terms already agreed with the player, and knowing full well that Kondé favours a move to Barcelona over Chelsea, the move could be done in the coming days.
Reports speak of "broken relationship" between Chelsea FC and FC Barcelona, something that was hinted at when the Blaugranas pulled strings to get the Koundé to board a plane to Portugal with Sevilla and delay his trip to London to proceed with the medical exams.
Jules Koundé looks now (again) set for Barcelona
"If we have to sell Koundé, he will be sold. If the chance isn't there, he won't. Sevilla have shown that we only sell for offers outside the market prices. In August of last summer we said no to more than 50 million euros", explained Pepe Castro, president of Sevilla. The deal would be for 50 million euros and another 10 million on addons, while Jules Koundé is expected to sign a five-year, 6 million euros per season contract.
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