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Jules Kounde: Why Chelsea lost race to Barcelona, Sevilla chief reveals

Jules Kounde: Why Chelsea lost race to Barcelona, Sevilla chief reveals

The LaLiga giants had agreed a deal in principle for the 23-year-old French centre-back, who is moments away from being announced as a Barcelona fan pending his successful medicals.

However, the Blues failed to conclude the deal after seeing members of the club’s directorial board step down under the new co-owners Todd Boehly consortium.

Chelsea’s delay allowed Barcelona to capitalize and swoop in for the Frenchman, who immediately set his sights on a switch to the Catalans instead of a move away from the country entirely.

Sevilla chief Monchi has now revealed the real reason why Chelsea ultimately failed in their pursuit of their long-term target.

According to Monchi, Chelsea had already reached full agreement with the club for Kounde, but decided to double down in the latter stages over certain doubts about the player.

“On Thursday night Koundé was ‘sold’ to Chelsea. They began to have doubts and pulled out.”

“Koundé had agreed to go to Chelsea, an agreement had been reached. But then Chelsea hesitated and wanted to wait.”

“Then Barca entered the deal. It is true that Chelsea came back to complete the deal later, but Barcelona’s offer was better.” Monchi was quoted to have said as per SFC radio.

“Last Thursday we reached a verbal agreement with Chelsea, the player too, but as this football thing never ceases to surprise, at the last moment, there were doubts and everything stopped.”

“Chelsea came back again, but Barcelona’s offer was better.” Monchi submitted.

Thomas Tuchel has now been forced to move onto alternative targets with Leicester’s Wesley Fofana currently being eyed as well as Milan Skriniar of Inter Milan and Bayern Munich defender Benjamin Pavard.

It has since been suggested that Tuchel was never intent on Kounde, despite the club agreeing personal terms with the Frenchman earlier in the year.

Tuchel is currently desperate to shore up his defense for next season, but faces a race against time with Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly the only established center-backs at the club currently.

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