La Liga defender open to Barcelona switch, Chelsea in pole position to sign him

Much has been made of Jules Kounde’s future this summer. Regarded as one of the most gifted young defenders in Europe, many expect the Frenchman to move on from Sevilla and take the next step in his career.

Barcelona are believed to be among the clubs interested in the services of Kounde. However, with Sevilla holding out for a hefty price tag, the operation could be next to impossible.

Barcelona, though, are not deterred by the situation and are trying to do everything they can to get their hands on Kounde in the coming season, reports Gerard Romero.

Kounde, after all, is one of the Xavi’s top targets as the Barça coach looks to add more quality to the backline. With the club seemingly worried about the longevity of the ageing Gerard Pique, the addition of someone like Kounde could be a boon for the club.

The Frenchman can add significant strength to the Barcelona backline that already boasts the services of Ronald Araujo, and Eric Garcia while Andreas Christensen is expected to join the club on a free transfer.

Romero suggests Kounde himself is attracted to the opportunity to join Barcelona and become a part of Xavi’s setup that has shown a lot of promise.

The Catalans, though, have a long way to go before they can settle a deal for Kounde. Sevilla are not expected to back down from their demands, while Chelsea are involved in the equation as well.

The Blues are even willing to offer more than Barcelona, so it is up to the Spanish giants to come up with an equally lucrative proposal.

As Barça are not in a position to shell out the entirety of Kounde’s valuation, they are expected to include a few of their unwanted stars in an attempt to lower the cost of the operation.