According to reports, La Liga giants Barcelona have ‘accepted’ to sell Jules Kounde this summer and Man Utd are the ‘first interested’ in him.
The 24-year-old has previously enjoyed stellar spells at Bordeaux and Sevilla. He was heavily linked with Chelsea before his move to Barcelona last summer.
Kounde has mostly played at centre-back in past seasons but most of his appearances for Barcelona this term have come at right-back. He has started 36 games across all competitions in 2022/23.
The defender has helped Barcelona win La Liga at a canter this term as they are currently 13 points clear of Atletico Madrid.
But if Spanish outlet Nacional are to be believed, Kounde is unsettled at Barcelona. They ‘will have to sell to lighten the wage bill’ and the Frenchman is ‘unhappy in the full-back position’.
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Mateu Alemany has declared that this ‘internal issue’ will be ‘resolved internally’ but Kounde ‘could leave this summer to land at another team that offers him the conditions he wants’.
Man Utd are the ‘first interested’ in Kounde and a move to Old Trafford ‘makes the most sense’. Erik ten Hag ‘urgently’ wants to sign a new centre-back and the Red Devils ‘would have the necessary 80 million that Joan Laporta is asking for to start negotiating the deal’ and they would ‘accept the sale’ at this fee.
The report claims Man Utd could face competition from Chelsea if they opt to ‘present’ a new offer for the defender.
A separate report from 90min indicates Barcelona are ‘shocked’ by Kounde’s ‘transfer plan’. They are said to have be ‘startled by his sudden desire to leave the club just one year after joining from Sevilla’. They add.
’90min understands that Barcelona are surprised with this development and are not impressed with Kounde.
‘Barca’s financial woes and need to meet La Liga’s feasibility plans means they may need to sell key players in order to bring in top transfer targets. Kounde was not someone thought to have been on the chopping block but his sudden change of heart could change the club’s stance.’
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Man Utd need to strengthen this summer as Dwight Yorke thinks Ten Hag will be expected to mastermind a challenge for the title next season.
“We need to get closer to City and finish in that second position. And if we’re a bit closer then there is the possibility of being top. I think that will be very realistic,” Yorke told TEAMtalk.
“And, you know, I say [it is also] unfortunate. But that is what is expected when you’re at Man Utd. That’s the name of the game.
“He [Ten Hag] is at a big club, and the expectation there is huge. And when you start winning, they want more. And that will be the case next season.”
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