Barcelona’s search for a regular right-back has been a constant problem for many years now, with the club failing to find a settled option at the position.
This season Jules Kounde has done a decent if unspectacular job at the position, following the departure of Hector Bellerin and several injuries to Sergi Roberto.
Yet Xavi Hernandez has acknowledged that he is aware that Kounde does not want to play there, but rather his preferred position in central defence. He put it down to ‘circumstances’ that Kounde had had to play there.
The issue is that finances are set to be tight again this summer, with little money for a major right-back signing. It is thought Xavi’s first choice was Villarreal full-back Juan Foyth, but recently reports have surfaced that he has been ruled out as an option, with the Yellow Submarine unwilling to negotiate lower than his price tag.
Now Fichajes are reporting news from Ekrem Konur that Bayern Munich have opened fresh contract talks with Benjamin Pavard, who was also supposedly on their shortlist for the summer. The French defender is out of contract in 2024, making this the decisive summer for Bayern to either renew him, sell him or allow him to leave on a free.
It looks as if Barcelona will also miss out on Pavard as a result. Previously he was thought to be unhappy with his role at the club, but the arrival of Thomas Tuchel might have changed his mind – it is thought that Julian Nagelsmann and Pavard had their differences.
That development leaves Barcelona casting around for other options again. Thomas Meunier, of Bayern’s rivals Borussia Dortmund, has been mentioned regularly too, but is past his best and in no way a long-term solution to the problem.
Barcelona must look to come up with a creative solution to theri problem. While Kounde is a good right-back for most teams, he struggles to stretch the pitch in the same way that others do. Keeping him there next season also risks Kounde becoming unhappy. While the French defender may understand one season of filling in elsewhere, he might not be so empathetic if Barcelona bring in reinforcements elsewhere but not at right-back.
In addition, it feels like a temporary solution, and to a certain extent halts the progression of the side to keep Kounde there.
For Xavi, the future of the position looks somewhat cloudy, with the current situation far from ideal.
