Barcelona has struck a last-minute deal with Sevilla to sign Jules Kounde.

This leaves Chelsea’s transfer plans in tatters.

The two clubs have been battling to sign Kounde this summer, but Chelsea appeared to have stolen a march on the Catalans when they agreed on a fee worth around £55 million.

Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, was even caught on camera telling a supporter that Kounde would be joining Chelsea.

But Barca never gave up on landing the 23-year-old and have been speaking to their LaLiga rivals about the transfer into Saturday morning.

According to reliable Spanish journalist Gerard Romero on his Jijantes FC Twitch channel, they have reached an agreement in principle to sign Kounde.

Sevilla initially did not believe Barcelona would be able to match or even come close to Chelsea’s £55m offer but they have now verbally agreed on terms after the Blaugrana activated another financial “lever”.

Barcelona always felt the Frenchman preferred a move to Camp Nou over Stamford Bridge – though he was not prepared to refuse a move to Chelsea as Raphinha did earlier this summer.

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