Two Premier League giants are interested in potentially buying FC Barcelona defender Jules Kounde this summer according to Mundo Deportivo, which cited anonymous sources.
Kounde was famously purchased in the summer of president Joan Laporta’s ‘economic levers’, which entailed Barca selling off percentages of future television income and stakes in its Barca Studios arm.
The Frenchman appeared to be on the verge of moving to England, and more specifically Chelsea, after his club at the time Sevilla accepted an offer for him.
At the last minute, however, Barca snatched Kounde away and guaranteed that the 25-year-old continued his career in Spain.
Already in his first season, Kounde became a La Liga champion in one of Europe’s best defences under head coach Xavi Hernandez.
He wasn’t playing at his preferred position of center back, however, and instead filled in at right back with Xavi not boasting a natural in the position.
That was meant to change when Joao Cancelo arrived on loan ahead of this term, allowing Kounde to move back into the center with Ronald Araujo.
After La Masia product Alejandro Balde required season-ending surgery when picking up an injury however, Cancelo has drifted across to the left meaning that Kounde now more commonly operates as a full back again as seen in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Napoli in the Champions League.
Despite some low points at the start of the current campaign, Kounde hasn’t done bad enough in Blagurana to warrant him being sold in the next transfer window.
But with Barca’s financial situation what it is, and a pending need to make big player sales, Kounde may be offloaded because of the fee he could command amid an ‘overbooking’ of center backs and the rise of 17-year-old prodigy Pau Cubarsi.
Mundo Deportivo explains that Manchester United and Chelsea, despite once being ditched by the Qatar 2022 World Cup finalist, are both interested in possibly acquiring Kounde.
It goes without saying that by shipping Kounde to England, Barca could possibly recover the $54.6 million (€50 million) they paid for him two years ago, or perhaps even make a profit.