Liverpool eye Barcelona defender Kounde with £60m price tag

Liverpool are closely monitoring Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. According to Football Insider, the Premier League club has been informed that an offer of approximately £60 million (€71 million) could be enough to sign the French defender. No formal negotiations have yet taken place between Liverpool and Barcelona.

Kounde's standing has significantly declined under Barcelona manager Hansi Flick. So far this season, the 27-year-old has made only four La Liga appearances and has been an unused substitute in Barcelona's last three league games. The report states that Barcelona's financial and salary restrictions make Kounde one of the candidates to be sacrificed to balance the books.

Since joining from Sevilla in 2022, Kounde has made 193 appearances for Barcelona and is capable of playing both right-back and centre-back. The report suggests that a clear asking price indicates Barcelona's willingness to negotiate for a player who was previously considered unsellable.

Liverpool's interest comes amid uncertainty on the right side of their defence. Reportedly, Conor Bradley is expected to be unavailable until next year due to injury, and Frimpong has struggled to make a convincing impact. Additionally, Araujo joined Liverpool on loan from Barcelona in the summer, and his long-term future remains uncertain; Joe Gomez could also leave Anfield at the end of the season.

Despite clear interest, Anfield officials still need to weigh whether to spend £60 million to sign Kounde. The report suggests that Kounde's reduced role under Flick has created a genuine opportunity in the market.

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