FC Barcelona defender Jules Kounde heads into the final stretch of the transfer window in a situation that has changed compared with previous seasons.
The French international has long been an important part of Hansi Flick’s plans, but his prominence has been declining since last season.
Part of that change is down to Eric Garcia’s significant progress. He has earned the starting role at right-back and become Flick’s preferred option in that position.
Eric himself confirmed this after the Joan Gamper Trophy match, explaining that the managerhad told him he wanted his primary position to be at right-back.
Flick’s ‘warning’ to Kounde
According to Laia Tudel on Catalunya Radio, Flick has also spoken to Kounde during pre-season to explain his new role.
The coach told him that he will not be the starting right-back, with Eric taking that position, and that when Kounde plays, it will be more often at centre-back than at full-back.
That would represent a significant change in the Frenchman’s role within the team. Moreover, it was made clear to the former Sevilla star that he would be a backup in that position as well.
Kounde knows the centre-back position perfectly well. In fact, it was there that he established himself before joining Barcelona and where he began his career at the highest level.
His development at Barça, however, eventually saw him become the team’s regular right-back. Now, Flick wants to take advantage of his versatility by using him again in the centre of defence, as he did during the Joan Gamper.
Even so, the Frenchman is not guaranteed a starting place at centre-back either. At present, Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin are ahead of him in the pecking order to form the starting partnership.
Kounde therefore finds himself in unfamiliar territory: he is no longer the first-choice right-back and does not have a guaranteed place at centre-back
Barça have not ruled out a departure
This change in Kounde’s status could also have consequences in the transfer market.
The journalist reports that if he receives a good offer, Barcelona would be willing to accept it, meaning his continuation at the club beyond September cannot currently be guaranteed.
The situation is not identical to Alejandro Balde’s. The main difference is that Flick has not delivered a public message to Kounde that was as clear or forceful as the one surrounding the left-back.
In Kounde’s case, the change in status appears to have emerged primarily through private conversations with the coach.
Flick’s confidence in Kounde has declined since last season, and that change has continued into the summer. The coach still counts on him, but he no longer gives him the same weight in his preferred starting XI.
If an offer arrives that satisfies Barcelona, his departure could become a possibility before the transfer window closes.
The post Barcelona defender’s future uncertain following Hansi Flick’s warning appeared first on Barca Universal.
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