Chelsea are interested in Jose Gimenez but Jules Kounde is their leading centre-back target, according to reports.
Kounde has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent months, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s face competition for his signature from a domestic rival.
The Sevilla stopper is enjoying an excellent season at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, having started 25 of his team’s 30 games.
Sevilla are fourth in the La Liga table at present, with just six points separating them from top spot.
Kounde is attracting the attention of major clubs around Europe, and La Razon states that Chelsea are among his admirers.
The Blues have an excellent defensive record under Thomas Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard in the Stamford Bridge dugout in January.
However, Chelsea have kept just one clean sheet in their last four outings in all competitions, and they could look to bolster their defensive ranks this summer.
Thiago Silva is expected to sign a one-year contract extension in west London, but he turns 37 in September.
Antonio Rudiger faces an uncertain future, while Fikayo Tomori joined AC Milan on loan in the January window.
If Chelsea miss out on Kounde, they could renew their interest in Atletico centre-back Gimenez.
The Uruguay international is out of contract in 2023, and Atletico could cash in on the 26-year-old this summer unless he puts pen to paper on a new deal.
Tuchel’s side advanced to the Champions League semi-finals despite a 1-0 loss to Porto on Tuesday.
A 2-0 victory in the first leg saw Chelsea advance 2-1 on aggregate, with the Blues set to face either Real Madrid or Liverpool in the last four.
Chelsea return to domestic action against Manchester City in the semi-finals of the FA Cup on Saturday, before a Premier League clash with Brighton next week.
Subscribe to FourFourTwo today and get your first five issues for just £5 for a limited time only - all the features, exclusive interviews, long reads and quizzes - for a cheaper price!
NOW READ
EURO 2020 Which England internationals are currently injured – and who could miss out?
INTERVIEW Alan Pardew on Newcastle United: “It was stressful… tough at times – I couldn’t get away from the criticism”
QUIZ! Can you name the 20 players with the most offsides in Premier League history?
