Getty Xavi is willing to let Sergino Dest leave.
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has explained his decision to move to the club in the summer transfer window from Sevilla despite interest from Premier League side Chelsea.
Kounde told L’Equipe he spoke to both Xavi and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel but preferred his discussion with the Barcelona boss. The defender also said he knew he was more likely to play in his preferred position at center-back at the Camp Nou, as reported by Diario Sport.
“I spoke with Tuchel and I also felt that he wanted me to come but I simply preferred Xavi’s speech,” he said. “That’s why I chose Barça, because I know that most of the time I will play in this position.”
Kounde has actually been played at right-back at times this season by Xavi but the coach does now have Hector Bellerin available. The full-back moved on a free transfer on deadline day after terminating his contract at Arsenal.
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Kounde Talks Barcelona
The summer signing has enjoyed a strong start to life at Barcelona. Kounde has three assists in five games for a Barcelona team that have won their last five games in a row in La Liga.
Kounde says he was aware that Barca were in transition when he joined but wanted to be part of the rebuilding process and help return the club to the top.
“First, I come to a huge club, which has known good times and which, lately, has had less. I come to a project that I would not call reconstruction, because we already have a competitive team, but rather an upturn,” he said. “I was interested in being part of this new wave, in search of titles, and to put Barça back where it has always been, among the best. Then there was the conversation with the coach (Xavi). We talked about football, mainly. I felt a real confidence, a real knowledge of myself. game and my qualities.”
Kounde was one of a host of signings by Barca in the summer. Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Marcos Alonso and Bellerin also arrived at the club as part of a major squad overhaul.
How Xavi Convinced Kounde
The defender also offered some insight into how Xavi tempted him to Barcelona. The France international says the coach told him exactly how he would fit into this team at the Camp Nou.
“When I talked to him he told me that my qualities correspond to his game plan, starting from the back, playing high, using my qualities of speed and anticipation. He also wants an aggressive team: we are one of the teams that presses high,” he explained. “He saw me in this system and I too, I saw myself in this team that I saw make a pretty crazy rise in the table last season. With Sevilla we were fifteen points ahead of them in the middle of the season. Barça, with Xavi, I saw the changes he made and what direction he was going in. I liked it.”
Barcelona’s defense also looks to have improved this season. The backline has been vulnerable in recent years, particularly to pace and quick transitions, but has conceded just one goal so far in La Liga.
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