Pranav Nair
Manchester United keen on Sevilla defender Jules Kounde to partner Harry Maguire
According to the Mirror, Manchester United have earmarked Jules Kounde as their number one defensive target this summer.
The Red Devils are keen to bring in a defender to play alongside Harry Maguire in the heart of the United defence. The Sevilla star has emerged as our primary target to achieve just that aim.
United are interested in RB Leipzig star Dayot Upamecano. However, the Frenchman is subject to interest from a number of clubs and with the likes of Bayern Munich harbouring serious hopes of landing him. (h/t Metro)
The same age as Upamecano, Kounde is a budding star who could go a long way in his career. The 22-year-old came into the first-team fold at Ligue 1 side Bordeaux before moving to Sevilla in 2019.
He has since emerged as a kay player for the La Liga giants. This has seen him garner interest from top teams such as Bayern Munich, Juventus and Real Madrid.
United have a first-hand experience of going up against Kounde having faced Sevilla in last season’s Europa League semifinals. The youngster played the entire match as the Spaniards won 2-1.
Kounde is an aerially dominant player who is also capable of bringing the ball out from the back. Moreover, his pace will be a crucial addition to the United backline.
Maguire, for all his skills, turns slower than the Titanic when confronted with an iceberg and will do well to have a partner who can cover for him.
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Kounde will not come cheap and will cost around £60m. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been assured that he will have money to spend on bringing in a new centre-back. That, however, is dependent on United getting the likes of Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Sergio Romero off the wage bill. (h/t Mirror)
The youngster certainly ticks a number of boxes when it comes to identifying a potentially elite defender. Kounde could go on to form the bedrock of our defence for years to come. Whether the deal comes to fruition or not remains to be seen.
