La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have reportedly offered €20 million plus Sergino Dest and Clement Lenglet to sign Jules Kounde.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Xavi Hernandez’s plans for the summer transfer window include signing Jules Kounde to bolster his squad’s defensive unit. And Barcelona will hope to land the 23-year-old French international after offering Sevilla €20 million plus Sergino Dest and Clement Lenglet.
Jules Kounde has carved a reputation of being one of the most dependable defenders in La Liga since joining Sevilla from Bordeaux in July 2019. The player has been a mainstay at the back for Los Nervionenses in the last three years and even played a pivotal role in their UEFA Europa League triumph in 2020.
The 23-year-old has turned out 132 times for Sevilla while chipping in with nine goals and three assists thus far. But the Andalusian club could lose the services of the French international in the summer transfer window amid rising interest in him from several high profile clubs across Europe, including Barcelona.
The interest from Barcelona comes in the wake of the rising uncertainties surrounding the futures of Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza. The Catalan giants have deemed the trio surplus to requirements, and their departure will leave Xavi Hernandez short of central defensive options, even though Andreas Christensen will likely arrive in a Bosman move.
With Gerard Pique in the twilight of his illustrious career, Barcelona will also need to sign a centre-back who can become the leader of the defensive pack for the foreseeable future. Kounde has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, with the Blaugrana reportedly ready to offer a part-exchange deal to secure his services.
According to AS, the Catalan giants have offered Sevilla €20 million plus Sergino Dest and Lenglet to prise the 23-year-old French international away from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. But the report does not mention whether Sevilla will accept such a proposal to part with Kounde.
Recent reports have claimed that Kounde is keen on leaving Sevilla in the summer transfer window, so the Andalusian club’s hands could be forced. Barcelona’s offer could be tempting, considering Dest could be Jesus Navas’s long-term successor, while Lenglet would essentially replace Kounde at Sevilla.
