Barcelona look set to gazump Chelsea but once more with Sevilla defender Jules Kounde getting ready to becoming a member of the Catalan aspect - simply hours after a transfer to Stamford Bridge seemed imminent.
The 2 European giants have been going hammer and tong all summer season over various targets. Barca beat them to the submit with Leeds winger Raphinha, with the Blues pivoting to Manchester Metropolis 's Raheem Sterling as a substitute. There have been additionally substantial experiences claiming Thomas Tuchel's group held an curiosity in Robert Lewandowski, who additionally selected to move to Catalonia fairly than the Premier League.
There's been motion straight between the golf equipment too, though Chelsea weren't capable of do a lot about defender Andreas Christensen becoming a member of Barca on a free. They nonetheless maintain the playing cards over a possible transfer for Cesar Azpilicueta in the identical course, however that deal now seems useless within the water anyway amid experiences that Sevilla defender Kounde has been snatched from below Chelsea's nostril. Lower than 24 hours in the past, the Telegraph's Matt Regulation reported that Kounde was set to signal for Chelsea, who have been believed to have blown their Catalan competitors out of the water with a £55m bid. Corroborating experiences in Spain famous a contract provide price virtually £200,000 per week over 5 years, which was seen as "too necessary" for the La Liga group to compete with.
Ought to the deal go forward, it is prone to create much more pressure between Chelsea and Barcelona, after Thomas Tuchel expressed his "annoyance" at how they've dealt with their curiosity in his captain Azpilicueta. It is an open secret the 32-year-old needs the transfer - however he could not get it now as a consequence of Barcelona's refusal to "combat" for his providers.
“Additionally it is about us and the comparability of how a lot we fought for Kalidou Koulibaly," Tuchel stated. "We've got a Spanish worldwide participant, captain for Chelsea and I see it on the identical stage however Barcelona doesn't see it on that stage. So I’m undecided if I need to give Azpi what he needs.”
Pressure can be prone to come up from simply how Barca are managing to gazump them to a number of key targets contemplating the monetary disarray they're in. Their final accounts confirmed greater than £1 billion of debt they usually have had critical points registering the signings they're making - even Ousmane Dembele is but to be re-registered after re-signing.
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They're allegedly refusing to cough up a whole bunch of 1000's in unpaid wages to Frenkie de Jong, who's in flip refusing to push for an exit in case they use it in opposition to him in courtroom and tear up his contract. It is the identical subject that compelled the best participant of all day out of the door in opposition to his will.
And but right here they're, pretending all is okay, ploughing forward with £55m deal for Kounde which is able to take them to virtually £150m spent on switch charges alone this summer season.
Chelsea, whose rise to the highest of the European sport was backed by a Russian oligarch, are hardly ready to be taking any ethical excessive floor. Nevertheless it's straightforward to see the place the frustration is coming from as one other goal seems set to snub them for Catalonia. Definitely so far as Tuchel is anxious.
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