Liverpool ramp up pursuit with €80m bid lined up for one of Barcelona’s most accomplished and reliable defenders.
The Premier League champions, reeling from a defensive injury crisis that has ravaged their backline, view the versatile Frenchman as the perfect solution to Arne Slot’s woes at right-back and centre-half.
Liverpool’s interest stems from catastrophe at the back: Jeremie Frimpong’s third injury spell, Conor Bradley’s season-ending knee surgery, Wataru Endo’s ankle issue, and looming exits for Ibrahima Konaté and Joe Gomez.
Reports from Fichajes indicate the Anfield giants are leading a trio of English suitors, prepared to match Barcelona’s lofty valuation despite the player’s stellar role in their La Liga-leading campaign.
That defender is Jules Koundé, the 27-year-old World Cup winner whose seamless transition from Sevilla in 2022 for €60m has made him indispensable at Camp Nou—until now.
Contracted until 2030, Koundé has logged nearly 200 appearances, thriving as Flick’s go-to right-back with 1 goal and 3 assists this season across 35 outings, though recent form dips have sparked doubts.
Slot sees Koundé’s defensive nous, offensive contributions, and positional flexibility as transformative, slotting him ahead of makeshift options like Ryan Gravenberch or Dominik Szoboszlai.
For Barcelona, the €80m windfall is tantalizing—enough to unlock La Liga’s 1:1 rule, fund a striker and centre-back, and ease FFP pressures despite no pressing need to sell.
Deco values him highly but isn’t untouchable if a replacement emerges, especially with Pau Cubarsí overburdened.
Manchester United and Chelsea lurk, but Liverpool’s title-winning war chest and Slot’s tactical familiarity position them as frontrunners.
Koundé’s elite stats—top-tier tackles, progressive passes, and duels—scream Premier League readiness. A move would reunite him with ex-Barça targets at Anfield, but loyalty to Flick’s quadruple push endures. Barcelona hold firm for now, but €80m tests their resolve in a summer of seismic change.
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