Chelsea are set to walk away from a deal for Jules Kounde, with reports suggesting the defender's height has played a part.
The Blues' stance is in stark contrast to that of Manchester United, who were prepared to spend big on Lisandro Martinez despite the Argentine being an inch shorter than Kounde at 5'9". The Sevilla man now looks poised to join Barcelona, who have already added former Chelsea man Andreas Christensen to their ranks this summer.
Manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted he isn't sure if the Blues will be ready for the new season after some difficult preparations. With a number of defenders moving on and only Kalidou Koulibaly arriving, the former Borussia Dortmund boss faces a race against time ahead of the league opener.
According to The Guardian, Chelsea are on the brink of walking away from a deal for Kounde. The Frenchman was linked with a move to Stamford Bridge in January, with interest stepped up over the summer.
The same report cites doubts over 5'10" Kounde's ability to thrive in the Premier League. With a mooted price tag of around £55million - the same amount United are spending on Martinez - it makes clear the different stances held by Tuchel and United counterpart Erik ten Hag.
Ten Hag had to win over Red Devils chiefs to force a reunion with Martinez, who played under him at Ajax. United's recruitment team had reportedly been keen on Villarreal defender Pau Torres, only for the manager to win the battle to bring in his preferred player.
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In addition to losing Christensen to Barcelona, Chelsea have seen Antonio Rudiger move to Real Madrid after failing to agree a new contract in West London. Tuchel has put the brakes on another potential departure already, with Cesar Azpilicueta potentially staying despite interest from Barca.
"It's a tough question because I'm not sure if I want to give Azpi what he wants,” Tuchel said. "At some point it is also about us. I just made the comparison with how much we fought for Kalidou Koulibaly. He is a national player. He is near the same age as Azpi. He is a hugely important player, the captain for Napoli. Then you have a Spanish International player, the captain of Chelsea. I see him on the same level."
Koulibaly completed a £33.8m move from Napoli after eight years with the Italian club, while Chelsea remain keen to add further centre-back options. Paris Saint-Germain's Presnel Kimpembe and RB Leipzig youngster Josko Gvardiol have been linked, as has Inter Milan star Milan Skriniar.
