Barcelona are struggling to fund a deal for Arsenal target Jules Kounde, with a number of Premier League clubs also eyeing Sevilla’s La Liga colossus, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Arsenal are hardly the most moneyed of England’s giants – especially when you consider that Stan Kroenke would make Daniel Levy look like Roman Abramovic – but even the Gunners are in a better financial position than a debt-ridden Barca right now.
The Camp Nou club have spent much of the last 12 months desperately hawking their wares across Europe, flogging Ivan Rakitic, Arturo Vidal, Nelson Semedo, Arthur and, much to the delight of Atletico Madrid, Luis Suarez.
It was revealed back in January that Barca are still over a billion euros in debt, however (Goal). Yes, we did say a billion.
So if you were wondering why the Catalan giants seemed to be prioritising free-agents this summer – bringing in Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero while closing in on Memphis Depay – that should give you an understanding as to why that may be the case.
That is not to say Barcelona are only looking at freebies, however.
Arsenal over Barcelona for Jules Kounde?
According to reports coming out of Catalonia, it will take some jiggery-pokery straight out of the David Blaine playbook if Barcelona are to find room in the budget for Jules Kounde – the £50 million-rated defender.
MD reports that, as it stands, Ronald Koeman’s side will not be able to compete with the financial might of the Premier League.
Barca may be willing to offer a number of players in exchange for Kounde, but would Sevilla really swap one of the finest young defenders in world football for someone who spends most of his time glued to the Camp Nou bench?
Wishful thinking, perhaps.
The Athletic reports that Arsenal are big fans of the 2020 Europa League winner, with Kounde recently admitting that it may be high-time to look for a fresh start away from the citrus-scented streets of Seville.
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