Chelsea 'interested' in Barcelona star as January transfer decision expected

Chelsea are moving closer to a return to Premier League action this weekend after the November international break.

The Blues will face Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday as head coach Enzo Maresca prepares to go up against his former club.

Chelsea went into the international break on the back of a draw with Arsenal in the Premier League, with the point moving the Blues up to third place in the top flight standings.

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Away from the action on the pitch, Chelsea are also being linked with several potential new signings ahead of the January transfer window.

It remains to be seen what transfer business will be conducted at Stamford Bridge in the New Year, but based on some of the latest rumours, it could be a busy New Year for the Blues.

Here, football.london takes a look at some of the latest Chelsea transfer news and gossip that has generated headlines over the last 24 hours.

Chelsea 'interested' in Barcelona star

Chelsea are reportedly showing an interest in signing Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. According to TBR Football, the Blues are looking to sign a new centre-back who is also capable of performing at right-back either in January or next summer.

As a result, Kounde has been identified by Chelsea as a potential new signing in defence. It remains to be seen what price tag Barcelona would demand for Kounde, who is a regular starter at right-back for the La Liga giants, having predominately spent his career as a central defender.

football.london says: There is no doubt that Kounde is one of the best defenders in Europe, and it's highly likely that Barcelona would demand a sizable fee to allow him to leave the Camp Nou in 2025, especially in January. If Chelsea can agree a deal, though, it would certainly add even more quality to the defensive options at Maresca's disposal.

Chelsea 'target' set to make transfer decision

Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah has reportedly set a deadline for when he will make a decision on his future amid links of a potential transfer to Chelsea. The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for the centre-back in recent months, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Tah will make a final decision about his future in January, which will include the club he will join next summer. Chelsea have been mentioned as one of the clubs in the running to sign Tah, but will face competition from Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

football.london says: Chelsea have been linked with a move for Jonathan Tah for quite some time, but whether the interest is genuine remains to be seen. It's seemingly inevitable that the defender will leave Leverkusen as a free agent next summer, and if that is the case, then the Blues will face plenty of competition for his signature.