Sevilla director Monchi has provided an update on the future of defender Jules Kounde, who is a target for Barcelona and Chelsea this summer.
Speaking to Onda Cero (h/t Sport Witness via Mundo Deportivo), Sevilla director Monchi has spoken about the rumours linking Jules Kounde with Barcelona and Chelsea in the ongoing transfer window.
Kounde has become one of the most consistent performers in La Liga since joining Sevilla in 2019 from Bordeaux. The 23-year-old has been a mainstay at the heart of the defence for the past three years, with his performances attracting strong interest from clubs across Europe.
Chelsea tried to sign Kounde last year, but a move fell through due to Sevilla’s financial demands. The Blues have been linked with a move for the French international once again this summer as they seek reinforcements following the departures of Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen.
Barcelona have also shown a strong interest in the 23-year-old Frenchman, as they look to strengthen their backline to offset the impending exits of Samuel Umtiti, Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza this summer.
There have been reports that the Catalan giants have already begun talks with Sevilla over a move. However, as per Monchi, there have been zero contacts between the two clubs for Kounde so far. The Sevilla director also acknowledged the interest from Chelsea but added that he is not sure what the future holds for the French international.
“Xavi has good taste wanting Araujo and Kounde as central defenders, it’s not a bad partnership. But so far there has been zero contact with Barcelona. I know that Chelsea have to look for two central defenders, but the interest in Kounde comes from England and other countries. I would have to be a fortune teller to know what is going to happen,” Monchi said.
“There are calls from everywhere. The money is starting to roll in a bit. Koundé has established himself with France and will play at the World Cup. It’s logical that there is interest in him and there is. As of today, he is recovering from injury in Los Angeles and will join in Korea later, like the rest of the internationals,” the Sevilla director added.
Sevilla are believed to be demanding around €65 million for Kounde, a figure that neither Chelsea nor Barcelona have matched yet. Whether that changes in the coming weeks will be interesting to see.
