"An agreement in principle with Sevilla FC has been reached for the transfer of Koundé. The transfer remains conditional on the player's medical examination and the signing of contracts", indicated in its press release the Catalan club, very active during this transfer window. summer despite his financial difficulties.

According to the Spanish press, the amount of the operation would amount to around 50 million euros, with 10 million bonuses.

Koundé, who was also coveted by Chelsea, is advancing quickly.

He will continue his rapid progress at Barça, as in the France team, where he appeared in the list of 26 for the Euro, in 2021, when he had never been called up before.

But coach Didier Deschamps highlights his "versatility", in a group threatened by absences due to Covid contamination.

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He plays only one match at the Euro, against Portugal (2-2), in a position that is not his (right-back), but settles in the group, in the second curtain, behind the incumbents.

"Nothing is ever acquired, there is a lot of competition, a very large pool, he said in an interview with AFP in March. No relaxation is allowed. I have acclimatized, I have time game, I continued."

Holder at 19 years old

Koundé, holder at 19 at the Girondins, is so precocious that he was even excluded from his third selection against Bosnia (1-1)!

Only Paul Pogba did "better", it was his second selection, against Spain in 2013...

The ex-Bordeaux (2013-2019) also won the League of Nations in the blue jersey, starting against Belgium (3-2) and Spain (2-1) in the final four in October 2021.

Last June, during the pensum of the Blues (two defeats and two draws in the League of Nations), Koundé only participated in the two defeats at the Stade de France against Denmark (2-1) and Croatia (1-0 ).

But he is already ahead of the pack of aspirants in central defense from the "very large pool", from Ibrahima Konaté to Dayot Upamecano via Kurt Zouma.

"I have confidence in my qualities, the work that I provide on a daily basis to be there, insists Koundé. The coach (Didier Deschamps) trusted me enormously, by selecting me for the Euro already, and by putting me to a position that was not mine. I tried to do my best. (...) I always said that I preferred to be on the ground than on the bench."

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Winner of the Europa League at 21, captain at all ages in the Girondins youth teams (who will receive part of the amount received by Sevilla on resale), Jules Koundé will have to export his leadership qualities to a European giant, after three years in Andalusia (2019-2022).

Hamstring surgery

"I'm not someone who expresses myself a lot outside, on the other hand when we enter the field it's my role, it's part of my job to guide, replace, speak, communicate, I don't hesitate to do it,” he explains.

"On the field there is no greater, lesser, new, not new, there are just eleven players there to win, together", he assures.

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He becomes the 26th Frenchman at Barça, since René Fenouillères in 1902-1903, and after Antoine Griezmann, the 25th.

Koundé hopes to join the line of the Blues who have won there in defense, from Laurent Blanc to Eric Abidal.

Others had more diverse fortunes, such as Clément Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti or Lilian Thuram.

But some French defenders have failed to break through in Catalonia, such as Frédéric Déhu, Philippe Christanval, Lucas Digne or more recently Jean-Clair Todibo.

But Koundé, who took advantage of the summer break to have surgery for a hamstring injury, is not afraid of a challenge.

© 2022 AFP