adminLONDON. — Chelsea have moved to block Marcos Alonso’s transfer to Barcelona after the Catalan club snatched Jules Kounde from under their noses.
According to reports, the Blues are also reluctant to allow fellow defender Cesar Azpilicueta to complete his move to the Nou Camp in what is becoming an increasingly fractious and complicated set of negotiations.
It comes after Barcelona swooped for £55 million Sevilla defender Kounde even after Chelsea had seen their offer accepted.
Andreas Christensen has already made the move from Chelsea to Barcelona this summer, but there is now doubt over whether fellow defenders Alonso and Azpilicueta will follow.
Spanish newspaper Diario Sport report that tensions between the two clubs have increased following the Kounde deal.
Chelsea believed they had secured the France international after Sevilla agreed to their £55m offer but Barcelona made their move to gazump them at the eleventh hour.
Barca had pulled off a similar move to hijack Chelsea’s move to sign Raphinha from Leeds United earlier in the summer.
Chelsea came close to signing Kounde, 23, last summer and earlier in this window there was a strong belief in Spain that a move to Stamford Bridge was inevitable once the Todd Boehly takeover was completed. However, the player’s preference is to join Barcelona and the club even briefly had his shirt name available for purchase on their online store. It was quickly deleted.
But Chelsea have reacted with anger and are reportedly willing to block the exits of Alonso and Azpilicueta to the Nou Camp.
They have managed to sign Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly this summer to reinforce their defence, which has also seen Antonio Rudiger depart to Real Madrid, but will either have to chase other targets beyond Kounde or keep existing players.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had already strongly suggested that Barcelona’s move for Azpilicueta may be blocked. — Mailonline
Online Reporter