Chelsea and Barcelona have both been linked with a move for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde.
Chelsea had seen a bid rejected for Kounde before submitting a fresh £55m bid for the 23-year-old.
Jules Kounde was left out of Sevilla’s pre-season training camp in Portugal as Chelsea continue talks with Sevilla to sign the defender.
Kounde shocked everyone at his club when he ended up catching the bus to Portugal, as they’d camp in the southern city of Lagos.
Sevilla are heading to Portugal as part of their preparations for the new La Liga campaign.
Certain reports started to claim that Barcelona are ready to hijack the deal.
However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has confirmed that Barca aren’t close to hijacking the deal from Chelsea.
In a conversation with a Barcelona supporter which was captured by Relevo, Barcelona president Joan Laporta was asked if the club are signing Kounde, to which he replied: “No, he is going to sign for Chelsea.”
According to The Sun, Kounde says he considered it ‘unprofessional’ to stay in Spain and train alone while he remains a Sevilla player, which explains his decision to join Sevilla’s trip to Portugal.
A club insider said: “It is still highly likely he will join Chelsea. Everybody was stunned when Kounde turned up for the bus to Lagos.
“But he feels he should be a ‘professional’ while still a Sevilla player.”
So far, Barcelona are yet to table a bid for Kounde.