Manchester City enter Premier League triple threat to sign Barcelona’s Jules Kounde | OneFootball

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is on Manchester City’s radar ahead of the summer transfer window, as per a new report.

City are bracing themselves for a busy summer as director of football Hugo Viana advances his remake of Pep Guardiola’s squad for the seasons to come.

The Blues signed Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis at the start of 2025 as emergency defensive reinforcements before adding Marc Guehi to their ranks from Crystal Palace in the January transfer window.

Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji could all leave Manchester City permanently this summer, leaving City potentially short of cover in defence as they aim to build a title-winning side for the future.

Report: Man City tracking unsettled Kounde’s situation

As reported by Mundo Deportivo and relayed by Football Espana, Manchester City are amongst a series of Premier League clubs looking to sign Jules Kounde from Barcelona this summer.

Kounde has endured a difficult 2025-26 campaign in Catalunya and has been on the sidelines since suffering a mid-belly hamstring in Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-final in March.

Even though the France international is under contract at the Spotify Camp Nou till the summer of 2030, the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are vying for Kounde’s signature ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Barcelona are said to be open to the idea of selling the 27-year-old defender this summer, having placed a €60-70 million price tag on Kounde, who joined the Blaugrana from Sevilla in 2022.

Do Man City need to sign Kounde?

Well, in all honesty, no. City bolstered their backline in January by signing Guehi for £20 million and recalling academy graduate Max Alleyne midway through a season-long loan at Watford. On paper, they have more than enough cover at the heart of defence.

Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol form Guardiola’s preferred centre-back partnership when everyone is fit, with Khusanov starring this season and showcasing his ability to fill in at right-back as and when needed.

Kounde has a wealth of experience operating at right-back but with Rico Lewis also expected to stay at Manchester City into the new season, it is difficult to imagine where exactly Kounde would fit in at the Etihad Stadium.

However, Viana has shown in his early tenure at City that he is not one to look past an opportunity too good to turn down and should Kounde be on the market this summer, the Blues could pursue the addition of the Frenchman.