Jules Kounde has agreed to join Liverpool as the Reds look to complete a surprise move for the £75m Sevilla defender this month, according to reports via TeamTalk.
Kounde came through the youth ranks at Bordeaux and has developed into one of the most highly-rated defenders in European football since joining Sevilla in 2019. The 23-year-old is now a vital part of Julen Lopetegui’s starting eleven and he’s been capped 7 times by the French national team.
Several top clubs have been keeping track of Kounde’s progress and TeamTalk name Chelsea as being long-term admirers of the centre-back amid speculation Thomas Tuchel is lining-up a summer move.
Thiago Silva and Cesar Azpilicueta are coming towards the end of their careers while Antonio Rudiger could leave Chelsea on a free transfer at the end of the season so Tuchel is seemingly in the market for another central defender.
However, TeamTalk are citing a shock report from El Nacional that claims Liverpool are hoping to beat Chelsea to Kounde’s signature by launching a January swoop for the Sevilla star.
The Catalan news outlet says Jurgen Klopp wants to sign Kounde as he targets another top class centre-back this month and the French international has already agreed terms with the Merseysiders over a move to Anfield.
Surprise move
El Nacional claims that Liverpool are now giving serious consideration to triggering Kounde’s £75m [€90m] release clause so they can sign the player now and avoid a potential battle with the likes of Chelsea in the summer.
Kounde would be an excellent signing for Liverpool if this deal was to get over the line, however, it would be something of a surprise if Klopp was about to spend huge money on another centre-back this month.
Liverpool signed Ibrahima Konate last summer and he’s enjoyed an encouraging start to life at Anfield while Virgil van Dijk is arguably the best centre-back in the world right now. Joel Matip is another top class option for Klopp along with Joe Gomez and Nat Phillips so the Reds appear to have plenty of depth in the middle of defence.
Therefore, unless at least one of their current crop is set to leave, it would be a major shock if Liverpool were to splash £75m on another centre-back so we should probably take these reports from Spain with a pinch of salt for now.
