With his impressive exploits on the pitch, Barcelona’s Jules Kounde has been in the spotlight, attracting the attention of several top-flight football clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea. According to Spanish reports, Arsenal is preparing to make a bold €60 million bid for the French international defender this summer. Meanwhile, Chelsea, long-time admirers of Kounde, are also planning a significant summer move for the defensive stalwart.
Barcelona, however, is not ready to let go of their star player who has evolved into one of the world’s best right-backs over the past couple of years, despite being a natural central defender. The Catalan club is planning to offer a major salary upgrade and contract extension to Kounde in the coming weeks, demonstrating their commitment to securing their long-term future.
This decision comes as part of a series of contract extensions Barcelona has rolled out since the start of 2025, in an effort to plan for a prosperous future. A testament to their strategic planning is their recent victory in the Spanish Supercup in Saudi Arabia, where they outshone their El Clasico rivals, Real Madrid, with a remarkable 5-2 win.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s future plans also include addressing the right-back position next summer. Though Jules Kounde has been the go-to starter in recent years, there are plans to transition him back to his natural position as a central defender.
Despite the financial challenges plaguing Barcelona, the club continues to invest in the renovation of Camp Nou and the redevelopment of the surrounding area in the Espai Barca project. The improvement in Barcelona’s performance this season is evident, as seen in their successful clash against Cverna Zvezda in the ongoing UCL.
However, the club’s decision to depend on Kounde’s right-back performances surprised many, especially when Joao Cancelo did not return for a second season on loan in Catalonia. This decision, despite both the Portuguese and Barcelona President Joan Laporta expressing their desire to continue the association, stirred up quite a bit of discussion.
Kounde’s commitment to the club has not gone unnoticed. Hansi Flick recently praised the French international for his dedication, citing his reluctance to be rested and his almost non-stop play for the Catalans this season.
Off the pitch, Kounde has been vocal about the demanding fixture schedule that football clubs are grappling with. He, along with Rodri Hernandez and several other footballers, is prepared to go on strike to bring about a resolution to this overburdening issue.
Amidst these developments, Liverpool has also shown interest in the potential transfer of Kounde ahead of January, adding to the growing list of admirers for this French international. The question now is whether Barcelona will be able to retain their star player amid growing interest and the club’s financial constraints. The coming days will undoubtedly bring more clarity on this matter.