Just like Ross and Rachael were off and on again a few hundred times, Chelsea's deal to get Jules Kounde to London isn't going smoothly.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have done all they can so far to convince the player that Stamford Bridge is the destination for him but the longer it takes to get the green light from Sevilla, the larger the chances the deal goes wrong.
With Barcelona waiting in the wings trying to scupper the deal, delay the move and hold up negotiations whilst they frantically prepare their own offer, it has become not only one of the longest transfer dramas to memory, it's now bordering on ridiculous.
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Having agreed personal terms with the 23-year-old last summer, and once again being confident that Kounde is still very much interested in a move to England's capital, Sevilla's motive has changed since the summer of 2021. Although they were holding out for a larger sum than Chelsea wanted to pay and ended up moving the goalposts at the last second, the Blues have decided to offer the money that Sevilla want this time around.
However, with the knowledge that Barcelona are chasing the player, Monchi, Sevilla's director of football, is now in a position to bargain with both clubs in an attempt to once again raise the price. This wouldn't be an issue for Xavi's side if they had any readily available cash. They could simply put the funds on the table and open an auction with Chelsea.
The issue that complicates the matter is the Catalan club's financial situation, which is explained here. If and probably when the second lever is activated, giving the Spaniards a fresh injection of money, they could bid for Kounde. That isn't the case yet though and Sevilla are holding out for a lump sum for the player.
This has meant that Barcelona have been able to stall the deal and attempt to sway Kounde towards them in the meantime. Although Sevilla would prefer a deal with Chelsea so as not to sell directly to a rival, they also want as much money as possible from their star defender. As things stand, and it's an ever-changing environment, Chelsea are the only team with an offer in for Kounde, they are at the most advanced stages with his transfer and the player is keen on a move.
Sevilla's reluctance to move on with the deal due to Barcelona has made it a nervy period for Chelsea as they effectively wait for a decisive yes or no though, because Kounde would also be happy with a move to the Camp Nou.
The versatile defender has also complicated matters himself. By originally not being part of the squad's training camp he had opened up the possibility of a quick transaction, but his decision to now join up with his teammates once again and not to sour his relationship with the club has potentially bought Barcelona more time to work on their own strategy.
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