Arsenal contact Barcelona over France international | OneFootball

Arsenal are interested in Barcelona defender Jules Kounde, with the La Liga side demanding a significant offer to let the French international leave.

France’s defender Jules Kounde controls the ball during the International friendly football match between France and Canada at the Matmut Atlantique stadium in Bordeaux, on June 9, 2024. (Photo by ROMAIN PERROCHEAU / AFP)

Barcelona journalist Gerard Romero reports (via BarcaTimes) that Arsenal are interested in Jules Kounde this summer, and they’ve made contact over a potential move.

FC Barcelona are saying they won’t let the versatile defender leave unless it’s for a big offer, but they’re also waiting to see what will happen with Ronald Araujo.

Araujo has been linked with a move to Manchester United, and his departure for a significant fee would likely strengthen Barcelona’s position on Kounde.

But the defender is willing to extend his deal with Barcelona for the right offer, and he still has a contract until 2026, so he may well end up staying. In that case, Kounde’s future at the club would appear less certain.

NAPLES, ITALY: Jules Kounde of FC Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and FC Barcelona at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on February 21, 2024. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)

This isn’t the first time Kounde has been linked with a move to Arsenal, with credible reports suggesting the Gunners wanted to sign the defender before his move to Barcelona.

Back in 2021, David Ornstein reported that Kounde was a signing the Gunners would like to make at centre-back.

The issue was the price tag and Arsenal’s lack of European football, with Sevilla wanting around £50m and qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

In the end, the player stayed with Sevilla for another year before joining Barcelona for €50m (£42.3m) in 2022. Arsenal invested their money in Ben White instead, and everyone seemed happy enough with how things had turned out.

France’s Jules Kounde kicks the ball during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group D football match between France and Poland at the BVB Stadion in Dortmund on June 25, 2024. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP)

A few years down the line, it seems Arsenal may be ready to make another attempt to sign Kounde.

The 25-year-old made 48 appearances for Barcelona in 2023/24, playing at centre-back and right-back. He’s also played every minute of France’s Euro 2024 campaign so far, alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba.