“I am one of Barca’s key players, one of the leaders of the dressing room" - Barcelona star shuts down exit rumors with straightforward claim
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has shut down rumors linking him with an exit from La Blaugrana this summer. The Frenchman claimed that he is one of the leaders in Barcelona's dressing room.
A report from Relevo (via Forbes) claimed that Kounde had given the club the green light to listen to offers from interested parties. The report also added that the France international was not too pleased with having to play as a right-back, instead of his usual center-back position.
Another report from Marca (via Football Espana) claimed that Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ittihad were making a push to convince the 25-year-old to leave Europe entirely. The report also stated that Barcelona will consider selling Kounde for €50 million.
However, in an interview with Le Parisien, Kounde made it clear that he had no intentions of leaving the club. He said (via Barca Universal):
"I am one of Barca’s key players, one of the leaders of the dressing room and, above all, I am a reliable player. That’s perhaps one of the things I’m most proud of."
"This season, apart from the time that Gavi injured my knee when I accidentally crashed, I haven’t had a single physical problem to complain about. I am very proud of it because it is the result of a lot of work."
Jules Kounde has been a vital player for Barcelona, playing 48 games across all competitions in the 2023-24 season. He played 35 La Liga games, with only three appearances coming from the bench. He was also a regular part of their UEFA Champions League run, playing every minute of every knockout match till their exit to Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde speaks about Real Madrid's superstar signing
In his interview with Le Parisien, Jules Kounde also spoke about Real Madrid's new signing Kylian Mbappe. Both players are part of the France national team and played an important role in Les Bleus' run to the final during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Now, though, they will be playing for direct rivals at club level, with Kounde at Barcelona and Mbappe at Real Madrid. When asked about the 25-year-old forward, the defender only had words of praise, saying (via Barca Universal):
“That’s why I play football, for the big games, to face the best. And in that sense, Kylian is the ‘Crème de la Crème’ (the best of the best). So it’s very satisfying."
“But a player like Mbappe can’t be stopped alone, it also requires a collective effort, although since he was in my area, I participated a lot in the success of the team."
Facing Mbappe regularly in La Liga will certainly be a challenging task for Kounde and Barcelona, and it will be interesting to see how they cope with Los Blancos' revamped frontline.