Chelsea have reportedly identified Sevilla defender Jules Kounde and Paris Saint-Germain 's Presnel Kimpembe as backup options if they fail to land Kalidou Koulibaly and Nathan Ake.
With new owner Todd Boehly leading the club's assault on the transfer market and £45million Raheem Sterling already in the bag, the focus in west London has shifted to shoring up manager Thomas Tuchel 's defensive unit. The Blues are bidding to rebuild their defence following the departures of trusted centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen after their contacts expired in June, joining Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively on free transfers.
Talks are advancing in both Koulibaly and Ake's cases, but Stamford Bridge chiefs are also keeping tabs on Kounde and Kimpembe as contingency plans this summer, according to the Telegraph. Kounde, 23, will be a familiar face to supporters, having been on Chelsea's radar for multiple transfer windows. Meanwhile, France teammate Kimpembe is a new name, having worked under Tuchel during the German's two-and-a-half years in charge of PSG which came to an end in December 2020.
