Liverpool and Man United on alert as Barcelona open door to sell 27-year-old

Liverpool and Manchester United have both been handed a potential transfer opportunity, with Barcelona reportedly willing to listen to serious offers for Jules Kounde.

The 27-year-old France international has long been admired in the Premier League because of his ability to play both at centre-back and right-back.

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Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City are also interested, so neither Liverpool nor United would have a clear run at him.

Still, Barcelona’s changing stance could make this one worth watching closely.

Barcelona willing to consider major offers for Kounde

According to Sport, Liverpool and Manchester United are among five Premier League clubs monitoring Kounde after his role at Barcelona reduced this season.

The Catalan club are no longer treating him as an untouchable player and would consider selling if a sufficiently large offer arrives.

Kounde has started only a small number of matches this season after losing ground in the competition for places, with Eric Garcia increasingly preferred on the right side of defence.

That situation has alerted clubs in England, where Kounde has been highly rated for years.

Chelsea and Arsenal are currently thought to be showing the strongest interest, but Liverpool and United remain in the conversation.

GOAL also reported that Barcelona are waiting for the kind of offer they would find difficult to turn down.

Kounde could solve problems for Liverpool and United

For Liverpool, Kounde’s versatility is the obvious attraction.

They are still planning for the long-term future of their defence, while his ability to cover both right-back and centre-back would give Andoni Iraola valuable flexibility.

United’s interest is slightly different. They have been assessing several defensive targets and Kounde would bring immediate experience, athleticism and composure to a back line still undergoing change.

The issue for both clubs is price. Barcelona are not desperate to sell, which means any deal would probably need to be substantial.

Chelsea and Arsenal pushing hard would only drive that figure higher.

Kounde is also not believed to be actively forcing an exit, so this is far from a straightforward transfer.

Even so, if his reduced role continues, the situation could shift quickly. Liverpool and United both need defensive quality, and a player of Kounde’s experience rarely becomes available without attracting serious competition.

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