Mundo Deportivo has recently claimed that Barcelona are considering a move for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde this summer. It has been revealed that the Catalans are planning to give up some of their players to help fund a move to land the talented Frenchman in this off-season (via Mundo Deportivo).
Kounde’s Impressive Form At The Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium
Kounde has experienced a solid campaign at Sevilla and has managed to catch the eye by producing some dominant displays at the centre of Julen Lopetegui’s defence. The Paris-born sensation has been involved in 49 matches for the Spanish outfit this term, scoring four goals and securing one assist in all competitions.
More importantly, the French defensive ace has been a rock at the back after he averaged 0.7 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per 90 minutes in La Liga and the UEFA Champions League this season. The 22-year-old has even been excellent when distributing possession to his teammates based on his pass completion rate of 89.6% in both those competitions (stats via whoscored).
Kounde is a player on the rise and would only get better with more experience under his belt. Hence, Barca would do well to bring him to the Nou Camp when the transfer window commences later this summer.
What Will The French Defensive Ace Bring To The Nou Camp?
Kounde excels at scanning the danger quickly and can deal with it effectively by clearing his lines when needed. He is a decent tackler of the ball and can make some important interceptions for his team on the defensive end of the pitch.
The eight-time France Under-21 international is maturing into an exciting, young defender but still has a long way to go before he is ready to taste success at the highest level. Joining Barcelona would be a huge step in Kounde’s career but only time will tell whether he has the right mentality to prove his worth for one of the biggest clubs in European football.
Kounde would undeniably serve as an excellent long-term replacement for Gerard Pique at the Catalan club. We can expect him to bring plenty of bite and steel to Ronald Koeman’s backline that has sometimes struggled to find consistency during the recently concluded La Liga campaign. With all things considered, it makes sense for Barca to go all out to acquire the services of the Sevilla star because he could grow into a top performer for them in the coming seasons.
