Tottenham transfer news: Spurs dealt blow as Jules Kounde rejects move
The north London side are hoping to bolster their defensive ranks this summer

Tottenham target Jules Kounde has turned down the chance to move to north London, according to reports.
Transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio (opens in new tab) claimed on Tuesday night that Spurs had made an offer of £25.5m plus Davinson Sanchez.
Sevilla (opens in new tab) were said to have accepted that bid, thus paving the way for Tottenham (opens in new tab) to open talks with the Frenchman.
However, Marca (opens in new tab) states that Kounde has rejected the Premier League side, leaving his future unresolved.
The centre-back is still expected to leave Sevilla this summer, having communicated his desire to do so to the Spanish side.
But Kounde will choose his next destination carefully, and Tottenham does not appear to be on his list of options.
The Spanish outlet cites Spurs' absence from the Champions League as the main reason behind his decision.
Kounde wants to test himself at the highest level, and is clearly not attracted to the prospect of playing in the Europa Conference League next term.
That is the European competition Spurs qualified for following their seventh-place finish in the Premier League in 2020/21.
Kounde's decision is a blow to Nuno Espirito Santo, who was appointed as Jose Mourinho's successor earlier this month.
Working alongside sporting director Fabio Paratici, the Portuguese is seeking to revamp his squad ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Central defence is an area he has identified as one that needs strengthening, but Spurs might need to turn their attention elsewhere.
Kounde would have been a terrific signing. He was one of the standout defenders in Spain last season and, at 22, has his peak years ahead of him.
It's not really a surprise that he is holding out for Champions League football, though. Sevilla have qualified for the competition, so the Frenchman was always unlikely to join a club outside it.
Paratici has no doubt already drawn up a list of targets, so we can expect Spurs to pursue other options soon.
NOW READ...
EUROS FALLOUT Why England's Euro 2020 final defeat is different to other heartbreaks (opens in new tab)
FEATURE England will learn from Euro 2020 - they're still on track for World Cup glory (opens in new tab)
QUIZ Can you guess 50 correct answers in our big Euros quiz? (opens in new tab)
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Quizzes, features and footballing fun
Get daily World Cup 2022 news, updates and other football frolics to your inbox
FourFourTwo was launched in 1994 on the back of a World Cup that England hadn’t even qualified for. It was an act of madness… but it somehow worked out. Our mission is to offer our intelligent, international audience access to the game’s biggest names, insightful analysis... and a bit of a giggle. We unashamedly love this game and we hope that our coverage reflects that.
Get daily World Cup 2022 news, updates and other football frolics to your inbox
Thank you for signing up to Four Four Two. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.