Earlier in the January transfer window, there were rumours that Manchester United was interested in signing Barcelona defender Jules Kounde.
Barcelona has modified their position over Jules Kounde, who is linked to Manchester United; the La Liga powerhouse is now willing to let go of the defender.
This season, United has struggled at centre back with Raphael Varane failing to reach his previous level of play and Harry Maguire’s future at Old Trafford being questioned. The fact that veteran center-back Jonny Evans has made 17 appearances altogether and established himself as a first team regular shows how serious the club’s injury problems have become.
Kounde, 25, joined Barcelona in 2022 and was a major contributor to the team’s victory in La Liga the previous year. The France international was briefly linked to United in the summer, and speculation regarding his long-term future at Camp Nou has been sparked by rumours in Spain.
Kounde, who has made 26 appearances this season, has continued to be relied upon by manager Xavi, but Sport, a Spanish publication, has reported that the coaching staff and club hierarchy are “extremely concerned” about the player’s recent performance. Given that he has already started seven games in 2024, Kounde’s two goals in Barcelona’s most recent Copa del Rey loss to Athletic Bilbao can likely be attributable to weariness.
Kounde is “no longer untouchable,” according to the source, which also clarifies that the Catalan team is open to bids for both the former Sevilla player and colleague Andreas Christensen. Although no sum is stated, Kounde was signed in 2022 for about €50 million (£42.5 million).
It’s well known that United is considering centre back options. The Manchester Evening News revealed last year that the players on the club’s shortlist included Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Antonio Silva of Benfica, and Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice.
