Newcastle ready bid for Barcelona star that will break Isak record
Robin Bairner
- 26 Oct 2023 07:21 BST
- 3 min read
Newcastle United want to sign Barcelona defender Jules Kounde and are ready to break their club transfer record in order to complete a deal for the versatile France international.
According to a report from El Desmarque, Newcastle have made Kounde their primary target, although it is unclear if they are preparing a move for the January transfer window or if they are willing to wait until next summer in order to sign the 24-year-old.
In any case, it is stated that the Magpies have €50 million prepared as an upfront fee with potential bonuses of €25m capable of taking Kounde’s price above the €70m that Eddie Howe’s side paid Real Sociedad for Alexander Isak in 2022.
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Barcelona’s position is that they do not want to sell Kounde, however, the club’s financial position means that any sizeable propositions have to be carefully considered.
Kounde has typically played as a right-sided centre-back for Barca, which is the role that Newcastle are surely recruiting him with a mind to play. He has, however, also featured as a right-back for the France national team on a regular basis.
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Kounde has best-in-class potential
Data analytic experts SciSports value Kounde, who is under contract with Barcelona until June 2027, around the €55m mark, suggesting that Newcastle may need to increase their initial bid in order to get the Spaniards to accept their offer.
SciSports, meanwhile, rate Kounde as potentially one of the best players in the world. Indeed, it states that only 12 players in world football have a greater ceiling than the former Bordeaux man, who is rated as potentially the best defensive player in the game.
Newcastle’s transfer policy, meanwhile, has been rather restrained, despite a takeover by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. They did, however, spend over €150m last summer, notably signing Sandro Tonali (€64m), Harvey Barnes (€44m) and Tino Livramento (€37m).
