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Home » Report: Chelsea may have to shell out £88m for 22-year-old transfer target

Report: Chelsea may have to shell out £88m for 22-year-old transfer target

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Thomas Tuchel is not fully convinced about Chelsea signing Jules Kounde.

Transfer News: Jules Kounde could cost Chelsea £88m

According to transfer news from 90min (h/t Football.london), Chelsea could have to shell out an eye-watering £88m for Jules Kounde. While the defender might have a release clause of £68m, paying that full amount will result in FFP issues. But, paying it over instalments will add another cool £20m to the amount taking it to £88m in total.

Chelsea are getting serious about their transfers. Romelu Lukaku has been re-signed from Inter Milan for a club-record fee. However, that might not be the only big-money signing for Chelsea this summer. Jules Kounde is a name they are looking to add to the defence but a deal for him looks complicated.

Jules Kounde could join Chelsea from Sevilla in this transfer window regardless of what happens with Kurt Zouma.
Jules Kounde could join Chelsea from Sevilla in this transfer window regardless of what happens with Kurt Zouma. (imago Images)

Initially, Chelsea were willing to offer Kurt Zouma in part-exchange. That has not worked out as Zouma is not keen to move to Spain. Sevilla were keen on Zouma also and the exchange would have reduced Kounde’s price to a modest €45m. (h/t The Guardian)

However, Kounde’s release clause stands at a solid £68m. If Chelsea try to pay the full amount in one go, they run the risk of breaching Financial Fair Play rules.

As a workaround, Chelsea asked about a deal to be paid in instalments over the years. The problem with that is Sevilla will now ask for £20m more than the release clause, taking the cost to sign Kounde towards £88m. The Blues are not opposed to paying a bit extra but it is understood that the club have second thoughts over that substantial hike.

Jules Kounde in action for Sevilla.
Jules Kounde in action for Sevilla. (imago Images)

More Chelsea News

For now, Chelsea are still in talks with Sevilla to get a deal done. Kounde remains keen on a move to Chelsea as well. This deal is no doubt proving very difficult to pull off, lest we say an expensive one.