Arsenal and Chelsea are ‘closely monitoring’ Barcelona’s defender Jules Kounde over a possible move in the summer, according to Spanish outlet Fichajes.
Koundé has enjoyed a surge in form under new manager Hansi Flick, who labelled the Frenchman ‘unbelievable’ following his impressive performances this season. He has featured in all 31 of Barcelona’s games in LaLiga and 49 overall across all competitions this season, contributing 11 goals.
According to Fichajes, the Blaugrana’s financial constraints could force them to cash in some players to balance their books, and Kounde could be one of those to leave, with Arsenal and Chelsea well placed to sign him.
The North and West London clubs are now closely monitoring the France international to strengthen their defence in the summer. However, Arsenal are looking to trump their rivals in the race for the defender, as the report claims that the Gunners are willing to submit a €75m (£64m) bid to sign the Frenchman.
After narrowly missing out on signing Koundé before his switch to Barcelona, the Spanish outlet reports that Chelsea are now prepared to challenge Arsenal for his signature and have reignited their interest in securing a deal to bring the defender to Stamford Bridge this summer.
London giants in battle for Koundé
Koundé is naturally a centre-back but oozes class and composure while playing at right-back. He’s been excellent defensively this season and is a key part of Barcelona’s rock-solid defensive setup, which has conceded just 29 goals, the fourth fewest among the 20 teams competing in La Liga this season.
While his defensive qualities are clear, he also possesses superior technical capabilities, which have been crucial to Barcelona’s attacking displays this season. His incredible 39th-minute assist to Raphinha in the Spanish Super Cup final is a testament to his well-rounded skill set.
Although he was previously on the verge of signing for Chelsea before heading to Catalonia, a switch to Arsenal appears more logical for the Frenchman—given Arteta’s defensive structure, which utilises centre-backs as full-backs, as seen with his deployment of Jurrien Timber and Ben White.
However, it’ll be interesting to see if the Gunners will agree to pay £64m to sign him, a fee that might be too steep for a position that’s already well covered in the squad.
