CORNERFLICK
Barcelona have put Jules Kounde up for sale despite tying him down until 2030.
The club have privately valued the France defender at about €80 million, a figure they believe could help raise funds and create room to strengthen other areas of the squad.
Kounde has been an important multi-purpose option since arriving from Sevilla in 2022. He moved from central defence to right-back and won a place in the side through his work rate, one-on-one defending and ability to build play from deep.
That role changed last season. Hansi Flick leaned more on Eric Garcia at right-back, which reduced Kounde’s minutes and shifted Barcelona’s thinking about his future.
Club officials now see him as a valuable asset they may be able to cash in on. The move carries risk, though, because Kounde remains one of Europe’s most rounded full-backs and has plenty of international experience.
He has said he wants to stay in Barcelona, but a major bid could alter the picture before the end of the summer window.