Manchester City have reportedly entered the race to sign 23-year-old French international Jules Kounde as Nathan Ake nears exit.
According to Mike McGrath on Twitter, Premier League champions Manchester City are considering a summer move for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The Premier League champions are one of the most formidable club sides in world football and are going through a revamp of sorts this off-season. The arrival of Erling Haaland, Julian Alvarez and Kalvin Phillips has added some much-needed strength in depth to the attack and midfield. And it would appear that the Manchester City rearguard is now in line for reinforcements.
Nathan Ake has been a solid backup option in defence since joining Manchester City in 2020 and played his part in back-to-back Premier League triumphs in 2020/21 and 2021/22. The chances of him turning into a first XI regular is unlikely, and a summer move to Chelsea could be on the cards.
Manchester City appear to be preparing for that eventuality and have identified a crop of potential replacements. Among them is Kounde, who is steadily raising his reputation as one of the best young centre-backs in Europe. The 23-year-old has been a tour de force at the back for Sevilla and could be on the move this summer.
#MCFC to weigh up whether Ake is replaced, which could bring into play likes of Pau Torres, Jules Koundé or Joško Gvardiol. Koulibaly on market but City and Napoli have not done deals in recent windows https://t.co/7tkH6apYzD
— Mike McGrath (@mcgrathmike) July 8, 2022
At 23, Kounde is far from his peak and could emerge as a reliable option for Manchester City for the best part of this decade. Capable with and without the ball at his feet, he will be an excellent fit for Pep Guardiola’s ball-playing style and could slot in seamlessly alongside Ruben Dias. The defensive duo could mend the defensive uncertainty that has plagued Manchester City in recent seasons.
Securing Kounde’s signature will not just help Manchester City replace Ake but also improve upon him. The Frenchman has a higher ceiling than the Dutch defender and will strengthen Guardiola’s grip on the Premier League. More so, it will also afford them the strength in reserve to compete on multiple fronts next season.
Curiously, Chelsea were also heavily linked with a move for Kounde but have seen their interest get nowhere so far. Selling Ake to the Blues while landing the Frenchman for themselves would be an excellent piece of business from Manchester City.
Defensive uncertainty? Are you mad. Check out City’s goals against record.