Bordeaux’s in-demand central defender Jules Kounde has arrived in Seville ahead of completing a €25m transfer to Sevilla, claim Marca.
Earlier on Tuesday, Estadio Deportivo cited a report from 20 Minutes describing the deal, which would break the Andalusian club’s previous record when they landed striker Luis Muriel two summers ago.
Kounde – of Beninese origin – has travelled to Seville ahead of undergoing a medical at the club and is set to become their fifth signing of an increasingly busy summer.
The 20-year-old is one of the most in-demand players in Ligue 1 and has made 70 first-team appearances for the club over the past two seasons, netting four goals.
Marca say they have confirmed information that was first published in reputable French outlet L’Equipe that Los Rojiblancos were unsuccessful in their opening offer of €18m.
The report describes the defender as ‘quick, with a high level of anticipation and concentration, powerful’, and is highly thought of in coaching circles.
With this in mind, Bordeaux are said to be holding out for a minimum of €25m for the defender and Sevilla appear to have come back with a higher offer which has been accepted.
Sevilla are set for a wide-ranging squad overhaul this summer with central defenders Sergi Gomez and Simon Kjaer both likely to leave this summer.
Sevilla believe Kounde’s valuation will soon be three times what it is at the moment and they see a deal similar to the one they conducted for Nancy defender Clement Lenglet, now at Barcelona, in 2017.