Jules Kounde has been a very good addition to the Barcelona squad since being signed from Sevilla last summer. Alongside the likes of Andreas Christensen, Alejandro Balde and Ronald Araujo, the Frenchman was part of LaLiga’s best defence, which contributed towards a first league title in four years.
However, Kounde was forced to play out of position for much of the season. He was often utilised at right back, despite his preference being to play in central defence, due to Barcelona having very limited options.
Recently, there have been reports have Kounde could look to leave Barcelona this summer. Although the player himself has since denied these, a departure cannot be completely ruled out, as per Relevo, especially if Barcelona decide against signing a new right back.
This would likely mean that Kounde would have to continue playing at right back, which could increase his frustration and force him to look for a move elsewhere.
Luckily for Kounde, Barcelona are reportedly looking to sign a new right back this summer, which could allow him to regularly play in central defence next season.
Image via Aitor Alcalde Colomer/Getty Images
I like Kounde, but I’d “swap” him for a top RB in a heartbeat if Xavi doesn’t decide to go with a back three and a double pivot, which he might be forced to do if he can’t find a replacement for Busquets. There are a lot of moving parts this offseason, and what happens with some players will have a big impact on what happens with others.