Will 70 million euros be enough? Liverpool find their man in Barcelona star
A perfect deal to plug Liverpool's gap
Jules Koundé, the Barcelona defender, is no longer unsellable as he once was, after being reduced to a secondary role under Hansi Flick.
Koundé (27) joined Barcelona from Sevilla in the summer of 2022 for 50 million euros, and for a long time remained one of the team's mainstays.
That status has slipped badly. He has played only four matches in La Liga this season, and the last three have passed him by entirely from the substitutes' bench. Koundé completed 90 minutes in La Liga just once, against Rayo Vallecano, and he also went the full match in the Champions League against Feyenoord.
A report by Football Insider, carried by the German newspaper Bild, says Liverpool are looking at this deal. Around 70 million euros could be enough to seal it, bearing in mind that "there are no official negotiations as yet".
Spanish newspaper Sport also confirmed that Barcelona will only sell Koundé for a very high offer, after there had previously been talk of a figure of around 50 million euros. The French defender is tied to a contract with Barcelona until 2030.
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Koundé a suitable deal to bolster Liverpool's defence
Liverpool are looking for a right-back, particularly after Conor Bradley's potential absence until next year and Jeremie Frimpong's unconvincing performances, while Ronald Araújo, on loan from Barcelona, is not a classic right-back.
Joe Gomez may also leave Liverpool in the summer, while Koundé can play as a right-back or a centre-back.
The queue is longer than that, though. According to Sport, the player has also attracted the interest of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. His name was also previously linked unofficially with Bayern Munich.
Where Koundé himself stands is far murkier. The same Spanish newspaper confirmed that he may consider a change of scene in January, while other reports stated that he immediately rejected Liverpool's enquiry and wants to regain his place in the starting line-up under Flick.
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