Chelsea and Sevilla are in discussions to finalise a deal for Jules Koundé that will see Kurt Zouma head the other way, according to reports.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that the Blues were keen on including Kurt Zouma in a deal for the France international, who has become the west London side's top defensive target this summer.
It was further stated that Zouma is 'appreciated' by the Spanish side, who refused to include left-back Emerson Palmieri as part of an exchange deal, with reports suggesting the the deal could be made official in the coming days.
As reported by Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano , talks are progressing between the two clubs over a swap deal, with Chelsea offering an additional amount in the region of €30-35 million alongside Zouma to sign Koundé, who is keen to join Thomas Tuchel's side ahead of the new season.
It has also been mentioned that Koundé has agreed to move to Chelsea, and is happy with the financial package offered by the Champions League winners.
Owing to the financial restraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, the La Liga side needed to offload a few key names as they prepare to freshen up their squad ahead of the new season.
Sevilla were only considering 'big offers' for Koundé following Tottenham's capture of defender Bryan Gil, which provided an alternative source of revenue for the La Liga side.
The Blues were said to be ready to fight Tottenham in the chase for Koundé, with manager Thomas Tuchel looking to bolster his backline ahead of what could be a title-challenging campaign.
It was reported previously that Chelsea had made an 'important approach' in their bid to sign the France international, and the Blues are thought to hold an upper hand in the race to secure the defender's services.
The 22-year-old has a release clause worth €80 million in his contract, and was on the radar of some of Europe's top clubs after a stellar 2020/21 campaign for Julen Lopetegui's side, but it seems like Chelsea have won the race to land the Paris-born defender.
What has Tuchel said about summer signings?
Talking to Chelsea TV, Tuchel said: "There were some phone calls with Petr (Cech) and Marina (Granovskaia) and also with my assistant in a relaxed way. There’s no need for stress or to rush things."
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