Chelsea signing Sevilla defender Jules Kounde would be a "big boost" for Thomas Tuchel, says journalist Pete O'Rourke.

The 23-year-old continues to be heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and is said to be one of the Blues' top targets.

What is the latest news involving Kounde?

According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Chelsea are currently leading the race to sign Kounde this summer.

They claim the French centre-back is likely to cost £42m-£52m, while it has also been reported that he has a release clause of around £68m.

Chelsea's interest in Kounde is not new, with the west London club having made an unsuccessful attempt to sign him last year.

"We weren't satisfied with the offer, and it was linked to Chelsea selling a player. It was a decent fee but it didn't meet our criteria," Sevilla sporting director Monchi said in a press conference (via BBC Sport).

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What has O'Rourke said about Kounde to Chelsea?

If Chelsea can sign Kounde this time around, O'Rourke thinks it would be a big boost for Tuchel and the club.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the journalist said: "I think getting Jules Kounde would be a big boost for Tuchel and everybody connected with Chelsea because he's a real top player, French international as well, and I think he looks like a perfect fit for the Premier League."

Why are Chelsea still interested in Kounde?

According to The Telegraph, Kounde and RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol are two key targets for Chelsea this summer.

The Blues have just lost Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid, while Andreas Christensen is expected to follow the 29-year-old to Spain to join up with Barcelona.

It means Tuchel has to bring in at least one new centre-back before the start of the 2022/23 season, and Kounde seems to be the man he wants, which is not a surprise.

The France international, who is valued at £76m by the CIES Football Observatory, is a modern-day defender who is going to help Chelsea build from the back should he make the switch to west London.

As per FBref, he has made 3.67 progressive passes, 4.63 progressive carries and 0.73 dribbles per 90 minutes over the last year. That last number puts him in the 98th percentile for that metric among centre-backs, which is pretty impressive.

Ultimately, Chelsea need to bring in a couple of centre-halves in the upcoming transfer window, and Kounde would be a great place to start.