Chelsea Transfer News Roundup: Blues planning fresh bid for Sevilla defender, club receive blow in pursuit of West Ham United midfielder, and more - 24 April 2022

Chelsea secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over West Ham United on Sunday, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Christian Pulisic. Thomas Tuchel’s wards remain third in the Premier League standings with six games left to play.

Meanwhile, the Blues are planning a fresh bid for a Sevilla defender. Elsewhere, the London giants have received a blow in their pursuit of Declan Rice.

On that note, here's a look at the key Chelsea transfer stories as on 24th April 2022:

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Chelsea planning fresh bid for Jules Kounde

Jules Kounde has been a rock at the back for Sevilla this season.

Chelsea are planning to reignite their interest in Jules Kounde, according to Caught Offside via The Telegraph.

The Blues were eager to sign the player last summer, but a move broke down after Sevilla hiked their asking price at the eleventh hour. However, manager Thomas Tuchel is ready to return to the negotiation table for the Frenchman this year to address his team's defensive conundrum.

The London giants are set to lose both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen this summer. Both players are in the final few months of their respective contracts. Talks of an extension have failed to reach a conclusive end, so both players are set to depart as free agents. Their exit could leave a huge gap in the backline, which Tuchel is hoping to mitigate by roping in Kounde.

The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength this season at Sevilla and is easily among the finest defenders in La Liga right now. Chelsea have been impressed by his performances and believe he could fill the shoes of Rudiger. However, the Frenchman is still likely to cost a fortune.

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Blues receive blow in Declan Rice pursuit

Declan Rice is wanted at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have received a blow in their pursuit of Declan Rice. According to The Daily Mail, Manchester City have entered the race for the English midfielder.

The 23-year-old has been outstanding for West Ham United in recent years and is attracting attention from clubs around the Premier League. The Blues hope to win the race for their former youth player, who was allowed to leave as a teenager.

Manager Thomas Tuchel wants to pay extra attention to his midfield this summer, with a long-term successor to N’Golo Kante high on his agenda. Rice has been identified as the perfect candidate for the role. However, the Cityzens are ready to spoil the party and are willing to break the bank for the Englishman.

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Kai Havertz heaps praise on Jorginho

Jorginho has been integral to Thomas Tuchel’s recent success at Stamford Bridge.

Kai Havertz has labelled Jorginho as one of the best players he has ever played with. The Italian missed a penalty against West Ham United on Sunday but remains integral to Thomas Tuchel’s plans at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to the Chelsea website, Havertz said that he enjoyed playing alongside Jorginho. He said:

“We all know he won almost every trophy that you can win, and, for me, he’s one of the best players I’ve played with. I like his style of play, and I always know when he has the ball what he wants to do. As a striker or midfielder, it’s very important that you have somebody behind you where you know what he’s trying to do. I love watching him play and playing alongside him."

Jorginho produced an atrocious effort from the spot that could have cost the Blues two points. However, only two minutes after the Italian's miss, Pulisic saved Jorginho's blushes by scoring an injury-time winner.