Barcelona plan to pursue 27-year-old EPL star after Kounde deal – Romano

It is well-established that Barcelona have set their sights firmly on a new defender. Such was confirmed by the club's president Joan Laporta in a recent presser, with all the signs pointing to a move for Jules Kounde.

The Sevilla starlet is undisputedly the top defensive target for Xavi as he looks to shore up his options at the back. Barcelona even appear to be favourites in the race to sign the Frenchman, who is also a target for Chelsea.

Should Kounde end up joining the Catalans this summer, one can be forgiven to imagine it is the end of the road for Barcelona, as far as their transfer activity is concerned.

However, speaking to his own Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Barcelona have no plans of stopping their spree just yet.

Once the signing of Kounde is complete, the club are likely to go after Bernardo Silva. The Manchester City star is believed to be one of Xavi's favourite players and it is no secret that the Barça coach wants him as a direct replacement for Frenkie de Jong.

The Dutchman is facing immense pressure from the club to leave Camp Nou and with Manchester United stepping up their efforts, it would not come as a surprise to see him depart Catalonia.

Xavi has long maintained that he rates de Jong highly and if he has to get rid of him this summer, he would demand a player of a similar class. Bernardo Silva fits the bill well, having established himself as a creative lynchpin for Man City in recent years.

Not to mention, the Portuguese international is tactically compatible with Xavi's setup as he can operate in the interior role alongside Pedri, with Sergio Busquets holding the fort in the number six slot, effectively allowing Xavi to recreate the esteemed midfield trifecta from his Barcelona days, involving himself, Iniesta and Busquets.

However, any move would require de Jong to leave Barça while the club might also need to trigger the third economic lever if they are to afford Silva's signing, as Man City are demanding €100 million for him.