Mundo Deportivo has recently reported that Manchester City are considering making a player-plus-cash offer for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde. It is believed that Pep Guardiola is willing to give up Nicolas Otamendi to try and convince the Spanish outfit to lower their price-tag for the player (via Mundo Deportivo).
Man City have already failed with their first bid worth around €60m for the French youngster, but it seems like they are not ready to give up and are willing to sacrifice Otamendi to get Kounde on board this summer.
Kounde’s Brilliant Season At Seville
Kounde caught the eye for putting in a run of dominant performances as a first-choice centre-back for Julen Lopetegui’s side in the previous campaign. The Paris-born youngster featured in 40 matches for the Andalusian club in the last term, finding the back of the net twice and providing one assist across multiple competitions.
The 21-year-old established himself as one of the top performers at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium after averaging 0.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 3.0 clearances, 0.8 shots and 0.6 dribbles per 90 minutes in La Liga last season. He also distributed possession immaculately out from the back as evident from his pass completion rate of 85.9% in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).
What Are The French Prospect’s Best Attributes?
Kounde can read the danger quickly that allows him to make some important clearances for his team. Standing at 1.84m, he is proficient at using his strong frame to outmuscle the opposition and usually wins his fair share of aerial duels at the back. The French whizkid is an excellent ball-playing centre-back because of his ability to play his way out from the back without breaking a sweat. Hence, he will be a good fit for Pep Guardiola’s style of play at the Etihad Stadium.
Losing Otamendi To Sign Kounde: Good Deal For Man City?
Losing a veteran defender like Otamendi could be a risky move for the Mancunian giants, but it makes sense for them to move him on if they can seal a move for Kounde before the transfer deadline in October. At 21, the Frenchman has already proven his value at the highest level, but the jury is still out on whether he will be able to maintain his excellent standards in the English top-flight where he will be tested both physically and emotionally.
Kounde will offer some healthy competition for the likes of John Stones, Nathan Ake, Eric Garcia and Aymeric Laporte for one of the centre-back positions in Guardiola’s starting XI. With all things considered, Man City will be better off sacrificing Otamendi to bring Kounde to the north-west of England during this summer transfer window.
