Sevilla president Jose Castro has warned Chelsea and other suitors of centre-back Jules Kounde that the Frenchman will not be sold for cheap.
Chelsea were chasing Kounde in the summer and believed they had secured a deal for around £45m, only to see Sevilla rebuff the interest late on in the transfer window. Despite that, Chelsea are expected to return with a fresh bid in the coming months, but both Manchester United and Real Madrid have also keen on landing Kounde as well.
Their hopes of getting a deal done appeared to be given a boost earlier this week when former Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido told Cope that the club were 'ruined' financially and debts are spiralling out of control, but Castro quickly ran to the media to bite back.
"To say that the club is ruined is ridiculous," Castro told AS. "Last season we had a surplus, after a season without season tickets or ticket sales.
"Yes, the losses would have been solved by selling Kounde, but we showed that we are financially powerful by not accepting €50m. To say that the club is ruined is not caring for the club."
