Sevilla have increased their asking price for defender Jules Kounde by €10m (£8.5m), Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has told Football FanCast.

Kounde is a target for Chelsea and was thought to be close to joining the European champions last week.

According to the reliable Gianluca Di Marzio, a €50m (£42.8m) deal was close to being completed. However, at the last minute, it appears that Sevilla have shifted the goalposts with their asking price.

Chelsea are in the market for a new centre-back after selling Kurt Zouma to London rivals West Ham and if they manage to end up signing Kounde before tonight's deadline, Bridge believes the Frenchman would complete their jigsaw.

"According to the contact I've got at Chelsea, Sevilla just whacked on another €10m, so they're just playing silly now," Bridge said to FFC. "But I think he would complete Chelsea's jigsaw."

Zouma's just left, Thiago Silva is turning 37 soon and Antonio Rudiger is yet to extend his contract, which expires at the end of the season, so it is easy to see why Chelsea want to sign another centre-back.

Elsewhere on the centre-half front, Andreas Christensen looks close to signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge in a more positive development.