Barcelona Shopping Kounde Around and Manchester United Have Been Asked

Manchester United have been contacted about signing Jules Kounde. The Barcelona defender is being offered to clubs across Europe this summer, according to reports, and the Red Devils are among the teams that have gotten a call.

Barcelona are ready to move on from the French international despite him being a regular starter under Hansi Flick. Kounde has been one of the first names on the teamsheet at right-back, but the club’s brass apparently want to try something different next season. So the 27-year-old is being shopped.

A €1 billion release clause is in his contract, but that’s not what anyone is paying. Reports suggest Barcelona would accept something in the range of €50 million, which works out to about £43 million or $57 million. That’s not cheap, but for a player who can play both center-back and right-back, it’s not outrageous either.

But here’s the thing for United: they don’t exactly need him. Not at right-back, anyway.

Where Would He Even Fit?

Kounde’s versatility is real, and normally that would be a selling point for a club like United that’s trying to build depth. But right now, the squad already has Noussair Mazraoui, who can play right-back, center-back, and left-back. Diogo Dalot can play both full-back spots too. Signing Kounde would mean either moving one of those guys out or having a logjam at positions that aren’t the biggest problem.

The position United actually need help at is left-back. Luke Shaw started every Premier League game last season, which was great, but relying on him to do that again with Champions League football added to the schedule is a big ask. Patrick Dorgu is apparently being viewed more as a winger now, and Harry Amass wants to go out on loan. So the depth behind Shaw is thin.

Kounde doesn’t play left-back. If he did, this would probably already be a done deal. But he doesn’t, so it’s not.

Left-Back Search Continues

United have been linked with Lewis Hall as a top target for the left side, but nothing has moved forward on that front yet. The club is clearly looking, but finding the right fit at the right price is taking time.

For now, the Kounde situation is worth watching. If Barcelona drop the price or if United decide they want to reshuffle the defense more broadly, things could change. But as it stands, the Red Devils are focused elsewhere. And honestly, they probably should be.

Kounde is a good player. He’s just not the right player for what United actually need right now.