Real Madrid rejected first refusal option on Sevilla star and Man City target Jules Kounde

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:44 CDT
• 2 min read

Real Madrid allegedly turned down the option to have a future first refusal option on Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, according to reports in Spain.

In the summer of 2020, Madrid and Sevilla were locked in negotiations for attacking midfield Oscar Rodriguez, but the selling side attempted to decrease Madrid’s asking price by offering them the first refusal on Kounde, which Los Blancos rejected.

This is according to former player turned coach and agent Pedro Riesco, who told Radio Marca:

“Real Madrid, when the transfer of Oscar Rodriguez to Sevilla took place last summer, could have been close to him.

“Madrid asked for 15 million [euros], [but Sevilla] tried to keep that figure down [by offering] 13 and a half million [euros] and the opportunity to have preference over Kounde.”

Kounde is currently one of the most sought-after young talents in European football due to his exploits over the past 18 months for Sevilla.

In the summer, he looked destined to sign for Man City after the Premier League side offered a reported £48 million (€55m) for his services, only for Sevilla to remain firm on their €80m asking price which is the release clause currently written into his contract.

Pep Guardiola opted to move on from the interest in Kounde, with Man City turning their attentions to Ruben Dias who they eventually bought from Benfica.

Over the sake of €2m, it would appear Real Madrid have shot themselves in the foot in this situation as they will be on the lookout for at least one starting central defender in the summer.

Los Blancos are light in the centre of defence and had previously targeted the likes of Dayot Upamecano and Pau Lopez, but with Sergio Ramos now looking more likely to leave with every passing day, it seems that they will have to recruit more than just the one player to slot into their backline.

Having first refusal on Kounde would have put them in an excellent negotiating position ahead of the other clubs interested in the 22-year-old, like Man Utd, Man City, and PSG.

However, they now face the prospect of a bidding war should they identify Kounde as a summer target.