Sevilla director confirms deal is 'very close' for young Chelsea attacker

Despite all the loans and false starts and dashed hopes, Gaël Kakuta's long and winding journey from notoriety to actual footballing relevancy looks set end with great success and a four-year deal at a Champions League team.

"The move for Kakuta is very close, although it's not finalised yet. We're in advanced negotiations with Chelsea and the player. He fills the needs we have, I'm optimistic."

-Monchi; source:  AS via Inside Spanish Football

These rumors have been going around for a couple weeks now, but seeing as how the CEO is optimistic they can work out the final details, I think it's a safe bet that this one will become reality very soon.

"The sale of Aleix [Vidal to Barcelona for €18m] has allowed us to generate funds to ensure that we have a squad that is guaranteed to be competitive. When I write down the names of the players I want to bring in, I smile because I see a team I like. It'll be a diverse squad because the manager wants different options for different schemes. I ask the fans to be patient."

-Monchi; source:  AS via Inside Spanish Football

As to what details there may be left to sort out for the Chelsea man's transfer could be related to the fact that transfer fees (€3-6m) keep getting brought up, even though Kakuta's Chelsea contract was supposed to end this summer.  Yet his name was on our submitted list of kept ("contracted") players.  Perhaps that's just an administrative wrinkle since contracts usually run through June 30th — though we listed the likes of Lampard and Eto'o and A.Cole last summer ... but then we listed Mark Schwarzer, too?

Or perhaps we had an option on Kakuta's contract that we've taken up with the express intent to receive a transfer fee?  Every little bit helps!