"I'm told" - Journalist drops fresh update on Chelsea pursuit of £77m long-term target

Journalist Paul Brown insists that Chelsea will not make a move to sign Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde prior to the transfer deadline.

The club have kept their powder largely dry throughout the January transfer window but were linked with a potential swoop for the defender in the summer.

Thomas Tuchel’s side have been struggling in recent weeks and appear to have fallen out of contention in their title challenge.

Chelsea are currently third in the Premier League table but they are 10 points behind leaders Manchester City and one behind Liverpool.

Pep Guardiola’s side have one game in hand on the Blues, while the Reds have two.

It is an unflattering picture for the club, although they do seem odds-on to qualify for the Champions League, as they sit 10 points clear of fifth-placed West Ham United.

Still, Chelsea have not made all that many moves in the January transfer window in a bid to improve Tuchel’s squad.

They have bolstered their youth ranks by poaching left-back Dylan Williams from Derby County, although he is only 18, and appears some way off being ready for first-team football at Stamford Bridge.

In the summer, the club were heavily linked with a potential move to sign Kounde from Sevilla, with an offer of around £47m reportedly rejected as the Spanish club held out for closer to £60m.

He is currently valued at £54m by Transfermarkt and remains vital to the club, making 25 appearances in all competitions, and has a release clause of £77m. 

The Blues have been struggling at centre-back, too, with injuries to both Andreas Christensen and Trevoh Chalobah, but Brown doesn’t foresee a late move for Kounde.

He told GiveMeSport: “They have a problem at centre-back but I’m told they have made no move to try to reopen