According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Liverpool is planning to make a proposal of around 80 million euros for Jules Kounde. Every news outlet is talking about the Liverpool bid. But no one is asking the more crucial question: Who actually replaces Jules Kounde at right-back should Barcelona decide to cash in.
Why Barcelona would consider it
Barcelona are understood to be open to selling Kounde, Alejandro Balde and Marc Casado in order to secure funds needed for this summer.
As his contract runs to 2030 Barca would only be willing to part ways with the 24-year-old if offered an amount closer to €80m. The reported offer from Liverpool precisely fits this fee.
The reasoning is obvious, Barcelona are facing the real prospect of not being able to purchase either Julian Avarez or a centre-back (like Bastoni) with the 1:1 La Liga financial rule barring any acquisitions without a major sale.
The fee for Alvarez is expected to exceed €100m and Bastoni will cost around €50-60m. So both of these transfers would be impossible without the sale of a key player.
Kounde has played 45 times this season in all competitions while also scoring 3 times and providing 4 assists. Kounde is one of Barcelona's most important players. But even a key player can be made available for sale at the right price.
What Barca loses
Kounde isn't just a right back; he's arguably Barcelona's most versatile defender and has experience playing centre-back and right-back. It's his versatility that makes him an attractive option for Liverpool, and a difficult player to lose.
Given the high defensive line advocated by Hansi Flick, it's obvious the full-backs are crucial in both the attack and defence. Kounde averages more ball progression into opposition territory than any other Barca defender, a trait that will be difficult to replace.
The replacement problem
This is where it gets complicated. Barca's current options at right-back, excluding Kounde:
- Eric Garcia: Adequate at right-back but not a natural, offering much less in the attack.
- Hector Fort: The Catalans are tracking the highly-rated loanee at Elche and are looking to recall him this summer. While an excellent prospect, there are mixed responses within the club's heirarchy about Hector Fort's future at Barcelona.
- Xavi Espart: 18-year old La Masia graduate, Xavi Espart is considered to be a key talent for Barcelona. Hansi Flick in particular appreciates him as a player and has guaranteed him important minutes next season at Barcelona. At just 18, he is a solution for the future and not for the immediate.
- Andrei Ratiu: The Barcelona hierarchy are looking at the Rayo Vallecano man as an option. The 27-year-old offers consistency and experience but he has a €25m release clause and a contract until 2030, which makes it a complicated deal.
Simply put, none of these players are Kounde, and the void he leaves will be real.
The domino effect
This is the argument that nobody is talking about. Selling Kounde to Liverpool for €80m solves Barca's financial issues simultaneously while creating another.
While the €80m fee can finance Alvarez or Bastoni, it'll inevitably force Barcelona to spend on a right-back they otherwise wouldn't. The net financial gain shrinks considerably once you factor in the replacement cost.
The €80m offer is tantalising but the hole it creates is the one people are desperate not to acknowledge.
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