BARCELONA CONSIDER NEW PLOY TO SIGN SEVILLA DEFENDER KOUNDE

According to a report by Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona will look to use a new ploy to prise Jules Kounde away from Sevilla in the summer transfer window. The Catalan giants are ready to waive off the sell-on clause in Jean-Clair Todibo’s contract with OGC Nice if Los Nervionenses sign the French defender, a target for Chelsea. Jules Kounde is one of the hottest properties in what has already been an eventful summer transfer window. The 23-year-old has gone from strength to strength since joining Sevilla from Bordeaux, establishing himself as one of the best defenders in Europe.

The French international has made 133 appearances for Sevilla thus far while chipping in with nine goals and three assists. But Kounde might not last long at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, as several high-profile clubs are keen on securing his services in the summer transfer window, with Barcelona and Chelsea among his prospective suitors.

The interest from Barcelona stems from the advancing years of Gerard Pique. The Catalan giants need to lay down a succession plan for the veteran defender, as he is showing signs of age catching up with him. With Clement Lenglet joining Tottenham and Samuel Umtiti and Oscar Mingueza likely to follow him out of Camp Nou, signing a centre-back is an urgent requirement for Barcelona.

Kounde has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, with the French international agreeing to personal terms with them. But the 23-year-old’s €60 million price tag is problematic for Barcelona, especially with Chelsea hot on his heels in the ongoing transfer window.

Recent reports have claimed that the Blues are preparing an offer to sign Kounde. Chelsea lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen in the early days of the summer transfer window, with the former joining Real Madrid and the latter moving to Barcelona. Kounde is thus an option to bolster Chelsea’s defensive unit considerably this summer.