Barcelona plot to hijack €65m signing from Chelsea

Chelsea must be feeling a sense of déjà vu as Barcelona plot to steal yet another key player from right under their noses. The Blues lost Raphinha to the Catalan giants despite agreeing a fee with Leeds United owing to the player's desire to join Xavi Hernandez's revolution at the Camp Nou.

The Premier League giants are now in pursuit of Jules Kounde, who is also high on the Xavi's wanted list. Thomas Tuchel has made strengthening his team's defence a priority, and wants the Frenchman to join Kalidou Koulibaly at Stamford Bridge.

Sevilla value Kounde at €65 million and Chelsea have made an offer worth €64.5 million. The latest offer is said to be in line with the Andalusian club's expectations, and the Blues are confident of getting the deal over the line as the player is open to moving to England this summer.

However, Barcelona are hoping to again rob Chelsea of one of their top targets, and are expected to have convinced Kounde to delay his decision. The Catalan club have thus far struggled to raise funds to meet Sevilla's valuation, but are hoping to drive the price down by offering players in exchange.

Moreover, Barcelona raised €300 million on Thursday after selling a further 10% of their future TV rights to Sixth Street. The new injection of funds is expected to help them enter the bidding war for Kounde, and according to Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, the Frenchman's first choice remains a move to the Camp Nou.

Kounde was expected to skip Sevilla's pre-season tour to Portugal in order to conclude his move to the west London Club. But the France international performed a sudden U-Turn and decided to join his teammates in Lisbon ahead of their game against Sporting on Sunday.

FC Barcelona have taken Kounde's decision to travel with Sevilla as a sign for them to enter their bid. The Catalans feel this will buy them additional time to usurp Chelsea for the second time this month and land one of Europe's top-rated defenders.

Kounde is not the only defender on Tuchel's wanted list. The German coach also wants to sign eitherJosko Gvardiol or Benjamin Pavard from Red Bull Leipzig and Bayern Munich respectively.