Chelsea are believed to be leading the race for highly-rated Sevilla central defender Jules Kounde.
The Frenchman is thought to be one of the most sought-after young players in Europe this summer, with various European giants said to be chasing the player.
Despite competition, Sport report Chelsea are leading the way in the pursuit of the Sevilla player, with the club said to have started talks immediately as the recent takeover was completed.
The reports in Spain claim that the £42m-£52m Chelsea will likely have to fork out should they want the centre back to come on board will not prove a stumbling block for a club that are keen to rebuild their squad under Thomas Tuchel this summer.