Arsenal eye audacious £50m Jules Kounde transfer

Arsenal closed the curtain on a miserable 2020/21 season with a 2-0 final day win over Brighton in the Premier League as full attention turns to a hectic summer transfer window. A host of players have been linked with a move to north London already, although none perhaps as audacious of Jules Kounde.

At one stage this (can we say last yet?) season Mikel Arteta had eight centre-backs to choose from. The first rule of squad building is balance and nowhere was more bloated than in the heart of the defence. Worst of all, they weren’t even strong options.

Failings of the past regime threw him under the bus in that regard and relieving two of them of their contracts and sending another two out on loan followed.

A combination of David Luiz, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding have assumed the right centre-back duties throughout the season, while different defensive systems have also been implemented, showcasing the lack of a certified all-rounder in that department.

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Arsenal eye audacious £50m Jules Kounde signing from Sevilla in summer transfer window

Luiz bid his goodbyes to the squad as he prepares to embark on a new adventure, with his spot in the team due to be filled by the returning William Saliba who has had a fantastic six-month spell with Nice. His excellent displays were topped off with a winning goal on the final day of the season away at Lyon.

Konstantinos Mavropanos has also impressed with Stuttgart but is due to depart either on loan or permanently once more this summer. Numbers-wise, and with Calum Chambers also capable of filling in, Arsenal would look well stocked. Nonetheless, it’s been widely reported that Arteta is on the hunt for another body, a transfer that has been a long-time desire.

As per The Athletic, attentions have turned to Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, one of the most sought after central defensive options in Europe and another one on the endless conveyor belt of outstanding French centre-backs. They truly are spoilt in that department.

Tracked by Manchester United and Chelsea, Kounde joined the club in 2019 from Bordeaux for £21m, making stunning progress and earning himself a spot in Didier Deschamps’ Euro 2020 squad.

Valued at no less than £50m, he is some Arsenal are yearning for. Can they secure him and is he needed?

Continued…

Can Arsenal Afford Jules Kounde Transfer?

The transfer rumour mill is a dangerous mistress. One story from reputable sources (or even non-reputable ones) can lift the mood and set pulses racing for an exciting summer of activity.

Kounde is edging closer to the world class bracket and will be a regular starter for France in the not-so distant future: is that the calibre of player Arsenal should be after? It most certainly is. Is that the calibre of player Arsenal can realistically sign? Well…

These links have emerged hours after a torrid season came to a close, one where Arsenal are immediately hamstrung financially due to the meekness of their Premier League finish. Coincidental, then, that such leaks have arisen. Good PR from the club or genuine interest? Everything this summer has to be looked at with both eyes wide open.

As stated in the report, the lack of Champions League football will severely impact Arsenal’s chances of signing Kounde. This sentence can be rinsed and repeated with a change of name many times over this summer. Such is the Gunners’ plight.

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Beyond finance and realism, do Arsenal need another centre-back? Now this is an interesting debate.

The desire of the fans is for Saliba to be in the team every week. Loaning him out after not having him in he squad was a foolish error, and his overall treatment a stain on Arteta as there is no case to be made that he is an inferior option to Holding or even Mustaifi earlier in the campaign. If you pay that money then you play that talent. Trust it and nurture it.

Saliba will get his chance next term but isn’t likely to be starting every week unless he maintains his standards from France, meaning Holding is once again the primary choice. The Englishman has had a good season but if Arsenal are truly wanting to rise up the table then the limited 25-year-old shouldn’t be first choice. He is a third or fourth choice if this club is hoping to progress as a team.

Kounde is an exceptional young defender with a sky-high ceiling, unlike Arsenal’s budget, which can ill-afford £50m (which is probably more than the entire budget) splashes on 22-year-old’s. If they are to sign a centre-back, which they should, it needs to be one with experience. Saliba is the talent to develop, there doesn’t need to be another one.