Three players Chelsea could sign before the transfer window shuts

Chelsea have started the new season the same way that they finished the last one, by winning silverware. 

The Blues’ UEFA Super Cup victory over Villarreal followed up their Champions League success last term and made it two European trophies with the club for Thomas Tuchel, who was appointed just seven months ago.

Tuchel’s side also got off to a strong start in the Premier League, beating a new-look Crystal Palace side 3-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

New signing Romelu Lukaku wasn’t ready to be involved in the game, so supporters will have to wait until Sunday’s visit to Arsenal to see the Belgian make his second debut for the club.

Aside from the £97 million signing of Lukaku, former Fulham ‘keeper Marcus Bettinelli is the only other player to have joined the club this summer, but there could yet be more new faces arrive at Stamford Bridge before the close of the window.

Here, we list three players that could still make a last-minute move to join the German boss and his European champions in West London.

Jules Kounde

According to Mundo Deportivo, via Team Talk, Chelsea are in the advanced stages of negotiating a deal for Sevilla defender Kounde.

The Spanish outlet are even going as far as to say that personal terms have been agreed with the player, who impressed in La Liga last term.

It had initially been reported that Kurt Zouma would be offered to Sevilla as part of a player-plus-cash deal, however the Frenchman reportedly rejected the offer of a move to Spain and is keen to stay in London.

The report suggests that, while personal terms between the Blues and Kounde have been agreed, the two clubs are still yet to reach an agreement.

Kounde is believed to be on the verge of a big money move to Chelsea.

Sevilla were holding out for the 22-year-old’s £77 million release clause, but as the deadline looms they could be tempted to lower their asking price to around £60 million.

While Kounde had been Chelsea’s prime target a couple of weeks ago, attention was turned to completing the Lukaku deal.

Now that the Belgian is back in SW6, the focus has returned to completing the deal for Kounde.

The defender would provide competition for places at the heart of Tuchel’s defence, pushing the likes of Thiago Silva, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger for a starting spot.

Aurelien Tchouameni

Having reportedly been priced out of a move for number one target Declan Rice this summer, Chelsea are now looking elsewhere for a defensive midfielder.

The Blues spent last season with only Jorginho, N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic as recognised senior central midfielders in the squad, and Tuchel is looking to bolster his options before the August 31 deadline.

Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga had also been touted as a potential target, but speculation on that front has cooled.

Now, the Daily Express are reporting that the Blues are targeting Monaco youngster Aurelien Tchouameni, after the 18-year-old’s impressive season in Ligue 1.

Tchouameni was one of the standout young players in Ligue 1 last season.

The France Under-21 international was a standout performer in the division last season, and has reportedly sparked interest from a number of clubs including Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.

The report suggests that Chelsea may make a player-plus-cash offer for the midfielder, in an effort to reduce spending and offload a fringe player in the process.

Midfield pair Tiemoue Bakayoko and Ross Barkley are suggested as possible options to be offered to Monaco, while French defender Malang Sarr could also suit.

With Declan Rice potentially available for less money next summer, Chelsea may perceive a relatively cheap player-plus-cash deal for Tchouameni this summer as good business, with the 18-year-old a superb option for the future.

Pape Malar Sarr

Keeping with the idea of Rice being available next summer, another option for Chelsea to bridge the twelve month gap until then could be Metz midfielder Pep Malar Sarr.

According to the Daily Mail, the young Senegal international is being lined up for a potential move by a number of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

The 18-year-old was promoted to the Metz first team after just a single reserves game last term, and impressed during the 22 league games that he featured in.

Described as an ‘all-action’ midfielder, Sarr scored once last term and displayed his abilities in both defence and attack.

The youngster, who made his international debut for Senegal in March, is a versatile player who can play in a number of roles in midfield.

The midfielder’s age and potential make him another option to bridge the gap between now and next summer, when Rice may be available, while also acting as a promising prospect for the future.

Equally, it is also believed that the Blues would be open to the prospect of buying Sarr and then immediately loaning him back to Metz for a season.