Barcelona considering cashing in on Manchester United and Chelsea target who wants to stay at Camp Nou: Reports
Barcelona are reportedly considering selling Jules Kounde if they receive an attractive offer amid interest from Manchester United and Chelsea. The former Sevilla man has been with the Catalans since July 2022.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reports that Barca are contemplating cashing in on Kounde. The French defender has been in fine form this season, playing at right-back and center-back. He's bagged two goals and four assists in 44 games across competitions.
However, Barcelona want to improve their financial situation and can't rule out selling the 25-year-old. He's garnered interest from Manchester United and Chelsea with the latter missing out on his signature to Barca in July 2022.
Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain, Serie A heavyweights Inter Milan and Premier League outfit Newcastle United are also keen. He has three years left on his contract and wants to stay at Camp Nou.
The Blaugrana's stance comes at an intriguing time given Xavi recently hailed Kounde as one of the best defenders in the world. The Spanish coach said after the France international impressed in the UEFA Champions League against PSG:
"He was one of the transfers that I asked for. He’s one of the best defenders in the world right now. Stopping (Kylian) Mbappe was a collective effort. Kounde did amazing against Mbappe."
Xavi performed a U-turn over his decision to leave Barcelona and will be in the Camp Nou dugout next season. He will likely have the final say over Kounde's future.
Barcelona's Jules Kounde is an admirer of Manchester United superstar Marcus Rashford
Manchester United are expected to bolster their defense this summer having dealt with several injuries throughout the season. Erik ten Hag's side have performed poorly at both ends of the pitch.
This has coincided with Marcus Rashford's remarkable drop-off in form. He put up the best numbers of his career during the 2022-23 campaign but has managed just eight goals and five assists in 40 games across competitions.
The Manchester United forward shone last season and particularly caught the eye against Barcelona. His side beat the La Liga giants 4-3 on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League Playoffs.
The Barca defender waxed lyrical about the forward and explained that he relishes this type of matchup (via Metro):
"I think he’s a very versatile player, he can do a lot of things on the pitch. Obviously he’s very fast so it makes it very difficult! He’s also great at reading space, getting into areas to do defining actions. So it’s always challenging to play against this type of player, but very exciting obviously. That’s why we play."
Kounde scored an unfortunate own goal that was largely down to Rashford's brilliance in a 2-2 first-leg draw. The Englishman gave the Frenchman all sorts of problems, including dragging him out of position for his strike at Camp Nou.