**Liverpool are paying close attention to Barcelona defender Jules Kounde, reports state, who is a very interesting solution to multiple issues at Anfield.**
According to Mark Brus, speaking on [The Daily Briefin](https://thedailybriefing.io/p/jules-kounde-transfer-chelsea-liverpool?r=aeiq8&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true&hide_intro_popup=true)g, Liverpool are _“keeping a close eye on developments”_ with Kounde’s situation at Camp Nou.
Barcelona are reportedly ready to let the Frenchman go for £55m, with decision-makers in Catalonia deeming him “_expendable_.” The 27-year-old has done a great job at Barcelona and is exactly the versatile type of defender the Reds need at Anfield.
Now, Brus reports that Barcelona will let him leave for £55m after slashing his price from £70m which may present exactly the type of ‘market opportunity’ that journalists regularly report FSG keep their eyes peeled for during transfer windows. The price drop represents a 22% reduction and it will be interesting to see if the Merseysiders pursue this so-called opportunity.
Another French defender, Jeremy Jacquet, just joined Liverpool after they identified the chance to snatch him from Rennes for £60m in January even though he spent another six months in Ligue 1 before the move became official on July 1.
In the theme of French defenders, Ibrahima Konate’s recent free agent move to Real Madrid leaves a sizeable hole to fill at right centre-back which is one of the roles Kounde is more than capable of filling.
Incidentally, it appears Kounde, Konate and Jacquet were all born in France, so it would be a case of one Parisian out, and two in if Liverpool signed the Barcelona star to support Jacquet at Anfield.
Kounde and Jacquet establishes five year succession plan at right back, along with Giovanni Leoni
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In August 2025, Liverpool signed Leoni for £26m, poaching him from Serie A outfit Parm, but he sadly suffered an ACL tear after impressing hugely at the start of the season. While it’s not a major factor in his second-season failure at Liverpool, it was a blow for Arne Slot to lose Leoni to his near-season-long injury hiatus.
Jacquet also suffered a serious injury in the 2025-26 season, with the 21-year-old picking up a shoulder issue that required surgery, ruling him out for the last three and a half months of the season.
Now, with Leoni and Jacquet set to both be fully fit and available for Liverpool, all that is missing is the experience and elite-level experience Konate’s exit has removed from the Reds’ backline.
While Konate struggled with his own injuries, missing a total of 36 games in his five years at Anfield, even he had better luck with injuries than Joe Gomez, who is still at Liverpool with another year on his contract.
The Englishman, while undoubtedly one of the most talented defenders in the world, has just never been able to play regularly enough to build on any success he finds. It’s been a real tragedy, quite similar to Daniel Sturridge, that he has been unable to refind the levels reached in 2020 with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip.
Kounde would deliver that missing class and experience while also answering the right back question at Liverpool
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At 27, Kounde is in his peak with several years of potentially elite-level performance remaining in his career. FSG may tend to sign top talents in the 21 to 25 age range, but when a player of Kounde’s ability and versatility is available, it makes sense to seriously consider a move.
In his 423-game long career, Kounde has played 250 games in central defence and 151 at right-back.
Not only is Kounde a very attractive centre-back option, he also provides a similar profile to Gomez, given his ability to play to high levels at right back as well. For a tactician like Andoni Iraola, this is a great option even just purely for the in-game tactical advantages a player like Kounde offers.
He can operate from either position, and then if necessary he can move to centre-back to right-back – and vice versa – if transitions expose Liverpool in one of those areas. This would be highly beneficial for a manager like Iraola, who demands his players pursue out-of-the-box solutions to score.