Reports | Manchester United to submit €80 million bid for Sevilla's Jules Kounde
Kounde to sign for Manchester United
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According to ESPN, Manchester United are looking to sign Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde in the upcoming January transfer window to shore up their leaky backline despite the club holding out for €80 million. The defender was speculated to move to Chelsea last summer but nothing materialized.
Jules Kounde signed for Sevilla from Bordeaux in the summer of 2019 for a reported transfer fee of €25 million and since then, the Frenchman has made a name for himself in the Spanish top-flight football as one of the best defenders in the league. The 22-year-old has made 102 appearances during his time at the Spanish club while scoring six goals and providing two assists across all competitions. The Frenchman has helped his club claim the Europa League in the 2019-20 season during his stint at the club.
His stellar displays have attracted the attention of a host of clubs in Europe with the Premier League appearing to be the most likely destination due to the financial strength of the league. Chelsea was considered to be frontrunners in securing his signature in the previous summer but the two clubs could not come to an agreement over a fee. However, ESPN has reported that Manchester United has entered the race to sign the 22-year-old as they look to seek a solution to address their defensive woes this season.
It is understood that recent defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City have urged the English giants to bring in another centre-back despite signing Raphael Varane from Real Madrid in the summer. It remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck as Sevilla will be reluctant to part with their prized asset as they are only a single point behind La Liga leaders Real Sociedad with a game in hand. It is rumoured that United will have to agree to Sevilla's asking price of €80 million if they want to sign Kounde.
