Barcelona have beaten Chelsea to the signing of defender Jules Kounde after agreeing a fee of around €55 million with Sevilla, sources told ESPN.
Kounde, 23, was the subject of several bids from Chelsea last summer and reports suggested he was close to a move to the English side at the end of last week.
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However, Barca upped their interest over the weekend, with sources telling ESPN that coach Xavi Hernandez's insistence on signing the centre-back has been key in getting the deal over the line.