“He told me he loved me and that he believed I would fit in with the way he played" - Barcelona star reveals Guardiola wanted to sign him at Manchester City
Barcelona strengthened their defense this summer by signing Jules Kounde from Sevilla in a deal worth €50 million. After settling down in the team, the defender has revealed that former Blaugrana manager Pep Guardiola made an attempt to sign him for Manchester City.
Jules Kounde has impressed many with his incredible performances in La Liga over the last couple of years. The defender is well-known for his calmness, composure, ball-carrying and ball-playing abilities. These qualities make him an ideal player for managers who prioritize possession and technique.
"In my first year at Sevilla he called me." #MCFC
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Of course, it comes as no surprise that Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the Barcelona signing. During an interview with French outlet El Pais (via HITC), the defender revealed that the Spaniard reached out to him during his first season with Sevilla. Jules Kounde recalled:
“Yes, in my first year in Seville, Guardiola called me. He told me he loved me and that he believed I would fit in with the way he played. I talked a lot about football with both (Guardiola and Barca boss Xavi)."
"I realized that they had both seen me play and knew my abilities perfectly. They weren’t just talking: they were very precise conversations."
Following his switch to Camp Nou this summer, Kounde impressed in his first official appearance for Barca against Real Valladolid last month.
The Frenchman followed it up with another brilliant display against Sevilla, where he recorded two assists. Kounde also set up another goal in Barca's 5-1 triumph over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League last week.
| Kounde made a good debut in Barcelona. The Frenchman read the game correctly as Xavi wanted and made a lot of moves and in addition he gave a key pass to Gavi and saved a goal from the goal line. [@mundodeportivo] #fcblive 
📰| Kounde made a good debut in Barcelona. The Frenchman read the game correctly as Xavi wanted and made a lot of moves and in addition he gave a key pass to Gavi and saved a goal from the goal line. [@mundodeportivo] #fcblive 🇫🇷 https://t.co/swozi4rdvS
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What's next for Barcelona?
After earning a vital 4-0 win over Cadiz in La Liga on Saturday (September 10), the Blaugrana will now face their first big test of the campaign. Barca will face Bayern Munich in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday (September 13).
Xavi's side will be looking forward to revenge against the German juggernauts after suffering a 3-0 defeat against them when they met in the same competition last season.