According to a report from El Gol Digital, Arsenal, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are all interested in signing Sevilla starlet Jules Kounde in the summer transfer window.
The 22-year-old Frenchman is one of the most exciting young defenders in world football. He was Sevilla’s shining light when they won the Europa League last season, and his performances caught the eye of some of the biggest clubs in the world.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City wanted Kounde ahead of Ruben Dias last summer. The Cityzens tried really hard, but they simply could not meet Sevilla’s mammoth asking price.
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The Nervionenses reportedly value Kounde at a staggering £76 million. They had no interest in lowering that fee last summer, but financial difficulties have now changed their stance ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
The report claims that Sevilla have now slashed their demands by 30 per cent. They are now prepared to accept a fee in the region of £51 million this summer, and the general feeling is that only an English club can afford that after the financial impact of the global pandemic.
Arsenal and Manchester United are the only two Premier League clubs linked with a move for Kounde in the report, but it would be a surprise to see the Gunners make a move for the talented young defender this summer.
Arsenal Insider’s view:
Labelled as a ‘very strong and very intelligent’ player by Joan Jordan, Kounde has all the qualities to become one of the top defenders in the world soon. He has proven his quality in La Liga and in Europe, and it is only a matter of time before he ends up at a bigger club.
However, Arsenal should focus their attention elsewhere.
We already have Rob Holding, Pablo Mari and Gabriel Magalhaes guaranteed to stay at the club beyond the end of the summer window.
William Saliba and Dinos Mavropanos will also return, and the pair certainly have a bright future ahead of them.
Kounde would definitely be a very good signing for any club, but Arsenal don’t really need him. Mikel Arteta and Edu will be better off spending the same £50 million on other areas of the pitch where top-quality reinforcements are an absolute necessity.
