France defender Jules Kounde has been tipped to move to the Premier League if Barcelona choose to cash in on him.
The LaLiga giants have been warned it would be a ‘mad’ decision to offload Kounde anytime soon, though.
That is according to European football journalist Andy Brassell, who has named the two Premier League clubs the right-back could join.
Kounde has made 196 appearances for Barca since signing from Sevilla in 2022.
He has also won three LaLiga titles in four years, with another potentially on the cards this term.
Hansi Flick’s side are already five points clear at the top of the table having won each of their opening nine matches.
Kounde has helped contribute with a goal and an assist in their last two victories.
However, Brassell believes Barca may chose to sell the 27-year-old sooner rather than later despite handing him a new five-year deal as recently as August last year.
Could Kounde leave Barcelona?
Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT.com, he explained: “I do get the feeling that Barcelona are going to sell Jules Kounde at some point in the near future, which I think is a bit mad.
“Obviously they’re going to have to sell someone of value at some point in the medium term. It looks like they’re limbering up for it to be him.
“He’s an underrated right-back and a really underrated centre-back because he doesn’t get to play there that often anymore.”
Kounde has shown his versatility for club and country at both right-back and in central defence.
As well as his title triumphs with Barcelona, the former Sevilla and Bordeaux man has won 58 caps for France.
He was part of the side which reached the 2022 World Cup final having won the Nations League the previous year.
Kounde made five starts during the tournament in Qatar, including the final defeat to Argentina.
Didier Deschamps later included him in his squad for both Euro 2024 and last summer’s World Cup in North America.
Arsenal and Liverpool told to sign Kounde
As for which clubs Brassell believes Kounde could join, he continued: “I think he’d be brilliant for Arsenal, for example. I think he’d be really good there.
“You could argue that maybe that’s the place that Arsenal don’t need to spend £50-60million on a player because they’ve got so many accomplished defenders.
“I think he’d be good for Liverpool as well because he can be an attacking full-back but he’s an authentic defender as well.”
Arsenal currently have just two senior right-backs in their squad in the form of Jurrien Timber and Ben White.
However, the latter is currently out of contract at the end of next season.
As for Liverpool, the Reds’ centre-back options could see them move for Kounde next summer.
Both Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez’s deal will expire at the end of the current campaign.
Their exits would leave Andoni Iraola with only three recognised centre-backs, provided Ronald Araujo’s loan from Barca is made permanent.
Kounde’s ability to play both centrally and at right-back would also provide a boost, with Araujo deputising in the role in recent weeks.
It comes amid Conor Bradley’s injury lay-off, with a return not expected before December for the long-term absentee.