BARCELONA HAVE swooped in to agree a deal for Chelsea target Jules Kounde from Sevilla.
The 23-year-old France international will join the La Liga side for a reported €50 million (£41.87 million) providing he passes a medical and agrees personal terms, which is not expected to be a problem given he has already posed for pictures in Barca clothing.
It is a blow for Chelsea, who were hopeful of bringing the centre-half to Stamford Bridge, but now must look for alternative defensive options.
A statement from Barca read: “FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Jules Olivier Kounde, awaiting the player passing a medical and the signing of contracts.”
The deal continues Barca’s spending spree this summer following the captures of Raphina from Leeds and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.
Kounde joined Sevilla from Bordeaux in 2019 and made 133 appearances for the Andalucian club.
Chelsea lost defenders Andreas Christensen – to Barcelona – and Antonio Rudiger on free transfers this summer and although they have signed Kalidou Koulibaly, Thomas Tuchel is still on the lookout for additional arrivals.
Are Barcelona not meant to be absolutely stone broke?? It’s a joke with what them and Real get away with. La Liga then have the neck to complain about PSG’s deal with Mbappe (which was a joke also)
@Will: do they still have to remove wages before registering players for La Liga games?
@Will: Said this weeks ago when they were even signing players like Kessie, Christensen, and Raphinha. Beyond disgusting at this point. Its clear the head honchos know the revenue Barca can pull in, not just for Spain, but European and World football in general.
I’d love to see a small club like Eibar or Valladolid attempt this even on small scale, and best believe they’d be put through the wringer for it. Rotten to the core, high risk high reward stuff from the ‘peoples club’… hopefully it all falls down on them like several tonnes of bricks in the coming years.
@Will: they’re going to destroy the club far more than it has been already.
What are uefa playing at this is a absolute farce now uefalona fc
Found money down the back of the sofa…..
There seems to be no consequences for the big clubs for bad management.
Barcã really getting it tight……
Decent article on the gamble Barca are taking on the bbc site. Worth a read. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/62258788
Barcelona have straightened out their debts by:
1) wage drops from players
2) Getting rod of huge earners
3) Naming rights and Tv rights
4) Signing players on free transfers.
They will I presume off load at least two or three more.
Depay, Umtiti, Braithwaite, Mengueza, Puig and possibly De Jong.
I’d imagine they would recoup €100 million.
So if you look at what they spent v sales, it would balance out.
@John O Sullivan: 1billion in debt though.
@Nag Damnit: Absolutely but I think Laporta has steadied the ship.