Chelsea are locked in discussions with Jules Kounde as the Stamford Bridge outfit looks to beat Barcelona to the central defender's signature, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Blues have already been frustrated by the La Liga giants after seeing Raphinha opt to head to the Nou Camp despite already agreeing a fee with Leeds United, so they are looking to avoid a repeat of that failed swoop.
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What's the latest news involving Kounde?
Chelsea have already splashed the cash on Raheem Sterling and Kalidou Koulibaly this summer, but it appears Kounde is edging towards becoming the next big-name arrival in west London.
That is because, according to The Sun, the Blues have agreed to pay Sevilla's asking price of £51million as well as £4million in add-ons.
The report suggests Kounde is set to undergo a medical imminently and the 11-cap France international could meet up with his new team-mates during the closing stages of their United States pre-season tour.
While Barcelona have also shown an interest in Kounde, it seems Chelsea are in pole position to win the race for his services.
CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has previously told GIVEMESPORT that the Blues have already agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old.
What has Fabrizio Romano said about Kounde?
Romano understands that Chelsea are holding talks with Kounde as they look to get the deal over the line as soon as possible.
The transfer guru is aware that Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel is eager to bolster his central defensive options and they do not want to miss out to Barcelona on another target.
Romano told GIVEMESPORT: "They are discussing with the player, but Kounde is also speaking to Barcelona, so it is another battle with them after the Raphinha situation.
"We will see what happens but, at the moment, they are really focused on centre-backs."
Would Kounde go straight into Chelsea's backline?
Parting with £55million would result in Kounde becoming the most expensive defensive arrival in Chelsea's history, so it is highly likely that he would immediately become one of the first names on the team-sheet.
The Blues have suffered the blow of seeing Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen join Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, following the expiry of their contracts, so Tuchel has been left with two voids to fill.
Tuchel prefers to set his side up with three central defenders and Kounde, following the £33million arrival of Koulibaly from Napoli, could be the next piece of the jigsaw for the German.