Chelsea could finally be nearing a completed deal for 23-year-old French international Jules Koundé after Sevilla's hierarchy gave a major transfer update earlier today regarding the star center-back.

As reported by Football.London while citing outside Sport Witness as well as Spanish radio outlet Canal Sur Radio both Sevilla director José María Cruz de Andrés stated that Chelsea could be in a better place to land Koundé this summer as the defender is now in a better position to handle the jump to the Premier League.

When speaking with Sport Witness, Cruz de Andrés stated "The case with Jules Koundé is very similar to the case of Diego Carlos. Not in the timing because we received offers for Jules Koundé in the last two seasons but always in the summer market."

"We have rejected because we thought that this player can improve his performance. It was better to wait because the market at the time was depressing. We thought that waiting a while would [help us] obtain more money. Again, the player, I am sure, respects Sevilla FC. He is happy with us. In the case of Koundé, it is not a matter of money. It’s a matter of him wanting to play in a more competitive team than Sevilla FC."

That same sentiment was mirrored by club director of football Monchi when it came to the fee that the club would have received for the Frenchman after Chelsea was heavily interested in bringing the Paris-native to London last summer window; "The proposal for Koundé last summer [from Chelsea] was great, the most important we received in our history - but it wasn’t meeting our price tag."

But the timing could now be ideal for both clubs as Sevilla could cash in on another key defensive piece after losing Diego Carlos to Aston Villa, but enabling Monchi to replace both players expertly in the market given his reputation.

This will suit Chelsea to the ground after the Blues have lost both Antonio Rüdiger and Andreas Christensen to free transfers this summer, with Rüdiger agreeing to terms with Real Madrid while Christensen remains unattached at the time of writing.

Now, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel can call on just veteran Brazilian Thiago Silva as well as Malang Sarr, and Cobham academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah.

Despite once again securing Champions League football next season, Chelsea will have to navigate the summer market expertly if they are to arrest some of the current issues in the first team, with a deal for Koundé vital to their ability to move forward under Tuchel next season.