Center back Jules Kunde (24, France), who was responsible for the back of Sevilla FC, a Spanish professional soccer team, will transfer to FC Barcelona.
Barcelona announced on their website on the 29th (Korean time), “We have reached an agreement in principle over the transfer of Sevilla and Kunde.
“As a defender with quick feet, Kunde is good at intercepting and playing with the ball,” Barcelona said in a statement.
He added, “He’s 178 cm tall, but he’s an ‘aerial ball expert’ with good jumping ability.”
Sports media ESPN, citing a source, said, “The contract period is until June 2027, and the transfer fee is 55 million euros (about 72.8 billion won).”
Kunde, who started his professional career at Girondain Bordeaux, a French professional football team, in 2017, showed his full potential after joining Sevilla in 2019.
In the 2021-2022 season, he played 32 league games and led the team to fourth place, just below the traditional ‘three’ Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid.
Sevilla, who conceded only 30 points in 38 games last season, showed ‘salt water defense’, which recorded the league’s lowest conceded goal.
“I am very excited to be joining such a great club,” Kunde said in an interview with the club. “I am here to win all the titles.”
Barcelona, who brought in center back Andreas Christensen (26, Denmark), who had been protecting the rear of Chelsea (England) earlier, also signed Kunde and built a solid central defense.
The club that was originally designated as Kunde’s destination was Chelsea.
When Antonio Rudiger (29, Germany) left for Real Madrid with Christensen, who was the core of the three-back tactic last season, Chelsea selected Kunde as an alternative resource and actively promoted the signing.
In the meantime, Barcelona joined the signing process late and succeeded in an agreement with Sevilla before Chelsea.
Barcelona have previously recruited ‘goalkeeper’ Robert Lewandowski (32, Poland), as well as Brazilian striker Hapinha (26), and are strengthening their power in all positions in the poetic market this summer.
/yunhap news