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Tag: Jules Kounde

  • Report – Liverpool prepared to offer £45.8 million for £62.5 million player

    Report – Liverpool prepared to offer £45.8 million for £62.5 million player

    Jules Kounde

    Liverpool are currently enjoying one of their best spells in recent history, with a seemingly unbeatable team. Under Arne Slot, the squad plays attractive football, prioritizing defensive strength over attacking flair.

    This isn’t to imply that the Reds lack goals; rather, their defensive prowess has taken precedence, having conceded very few in the Premier League this season.

    However, there are concerns regarding the futures of Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contracts expire at the end of the season, and who have yet to sign renewals.

    According to the Catalan outlet Nacional, Liverpool is interested in signing Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. The Reds value his versatility, as the 25-year-old can effectively play both center-back and right-back.

    Liverpool is prepared to offer £45.8 million for Kounde, but Barcelona is likely to demand at least £62.5 million for the transfer. While the Reds are keen on the Frenchman, it seems unlikely that Barcelona will agree to let him go, given his importance to the team.

    Kounde is typically a starting right-back for the Catalan club, which is also performing well, akin to Liverpool. The pursuit may continue, but the decision rests with Barcelona. We’ll have to see how the Kounde situation develops.

    More news….

    Darwin Nunez has conveyed precisely what Arne Slot and Liverpool were hoping to hear

    Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez has responded on social media to Uruguay’s surprising 1-0 loss to Peru in World Cup qualifying, despite receiving praise for his individual performance.

    The defeat came from a late goal by Miguel Araujo, marking Peru’s first victory in 10 qualifying matches and lifting them off the bottom of the South American table. Despite the setback, Uruguay remains in third place and is still on track to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

    In the CONMEBOL qualifying format, each nation faces the other nine both home and away. After 18 matches, the top six teams will earn spots in the World Cup, while the seventh-place team will enter the FIFA playoff tournament, providing an alternative route to qualification.

    Nunez has issued a rallying call to his teammates on social media, urging for improvement ahead of Uruguay’s home match against Ecuador on Wednesday.

    “Work to improve, there is no other [way],” he stated in Spanish on Instagram. “Go Uruguay always!”

    The Uruguayan media absolved Nunez of blame, noting he was among the standout players, with El Pais remarking, “he was the one who tried the most, but was very alone in attack.”

    Initially, there were expectations that Nunez would remain suspended for his involvement in the Copa America controversy this summer. However, a successful appeal allowed him to participate in the match against Peru.

    Since making his Uruguay debut in 2019, Nunez has netted 13 goals in 30 appearances.

  • Liverpool received a crushing blow in their pursuit of the 24-year-old sensation when he said, “I will stay at Barcelona, of course.”

    Liverpool received a crushing blow in their pursuit of the 24-year-old sensation when he said, “I will stay at Barcelona, of course.”

    Liverpool received a crushing blow in their pursuit of the 24-year-old sensation when he said, "I will stay at Barcelona, of course."
    Jules Kounde wants to stay at Barcelona amid interest from Liverpool

    Barcelona and France defender Jules Kounde has confirmed he will remain with the La Liga champions despite interest from Liverpool.

    A few days ago, the Daily Mail revealed that Liverpool are keen to bring Kounde to Anfield because Jurgen Klopp wants the player.

    We all know the Reds are in the market for midfielders and defenders. Given that the Frenchman is a flexible player in defense, the possible offer to sign him made sense

    , the 24-year-old squashed those rumors before they even started making noise. Here’s what he had to say (h/t Bein Sports, via Mirror):

    “So that it remains clear… my future? Of course, I will stay in Barcelona.

    While anything can happen in football, especially during transfer windows, this statement tells us that Kounde is highly unlikely to join Anfield this summer.

    If we look at Liverpool’s current centre-back options, they could use a centre-back who could fill the role that Joel Matip once played. The latter could well be sold this summer.

    With Trent Alexander-Arnold moving into midfield on the ball, it is appropriate to bring in a right-back or centre-back on the right flank to help Ibrahima Konate, either sharing minutes or playing at right-back.

    As Koundé could do both, not having him would be a bit disappointing. But it’s very early summer. There are other goals the club can focus on before pre-season kicks off next month.

    Ideally, Klopp, Jorg Schmadtke and the backroom staff should finalize all player deals before the start of July, so that new players to the team participate in the pre-season from day one. It would help their integration and understanding of the tactical side of the game under the coach.

    Read also………..

    Jürgen Klopp: ‘It was a pleasure to work with Ox – I love him’

    Jürgen Klopp: ‘It was a pleasure to work with Ox – I love him’ https://footballtopstar.com/jurgen-klopp-it-was-a-pleasure-to-work-with-ox-i-love-him/Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was “a pleasure to work with” during a Liverpool career hampered by injury but still winning six major trophies, explains Jürgen Klopp.

    Since joining from Arsenal in the summer of 2017, Oxlade-Chamberlain made 146 appearances for the Reds, helping the club to the Premier League, Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, Emirates FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Carabao Cup.

    His six-year spell at Merseyside has sadly included spells on the sidelines with injury, most notably when he was ruled out for around 12 months following a serious knee problem during the Champions League semi-final win against Roma in April 2018.

    Indeed, it’s that moment that comes to mind when Klopp looks back on the 29-year-old’s days at Anfield.

    “Ox is a super boy, definitely a super boy. Now that’s a shame with Ox as is sometimes the case with players – he’s had a great time here and in the end I’m pretty sure he’s not 100% happy and I can certainly understand that,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com.

    “But the only moment that comes to mind that kinda describes the time here but also how good it is is the situation in the semi-finals of Roma, the home game, when it’s was injured. At that point, honestly, I had no idea how to replace him – Ox was so good.

    “That was it: he came here, played full back at Arsenal once in a while, winger definitely and he became a real number 8 here, the way we wanted to play – super energetic, technical.”

    “I remember how early we had our first final sessions and I watched and thought, ‘He hasn’t scored so many goals in the past. If I could shoot like you, I would start at 7am and finish at 9am.’” 10am because it’s amazing!’

    “Then he started scoring these wonderful goals against [Manchester] City and in other important games. It was always a real pleasure to work with him, but of course an injury or two too many caused some problems.

    Jürgen Klopp: 'It was a pleasure to work with Ox - I love him'
    “I love him. I once said that if I had to choose a player to go on vacation with, my first choice would probably be Ox because I’m pretty sure he’s good enough to organize things, he knows all over the world. Together with his wife, he could probably organize tickets for any event in England, maybe in Europe, and it would be absolutely fun.

    “He’s a good talker and I’m pretty sure he’ll be all over TV after his career ends – which I hope will last a long time. Otherwise, the TV made a big mistake!

    When asked to name his favorite moment of Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Liverpool career, Klopp replied: “There are a lot but I only remember the goal against City at home.” Falling between two players, recovering the ball and then throwing a powerful punch, and Ederson was not even close to the ball.

    “It was my greatest moment in football and there have been many more.

    Ox has won everything here at Liverpool FC which is amazing so he will continue to be a legend when he comes back and things like that and I’m pretty sure he brings a lot of fantastic memories with him and we’ll keep a lot of them, they will be fantastic memories with him, 100 percent.

  • Liverpool are looking for a Barcelona man to take care of Xavi

    Liverpool are looking for a Barcelona man to take care of Xavi

    However you look at it, the 2022-23 season has been poor by Liverpool’s current standards and something should always change after it’s over.

    Were it not for the manager, and let’s face it, neither he nor the club itself ever even suggested that his time at Anfield was over, it would have been the players who carried the ball.

    Some have left because their contracts have expired and are looking for more experience in their playing career, others have simply not been good enough.
    It’s perfectly fine to get rid of the ones that have become obsolete, but need to be replaced.

    Improving departing players will likely require some serious spending money, but as the Liverpool board has shown with the Jude Bellingham situation, they won’t be held hostage to any player.

    Although Barcelona’s Jules Kounde recently tweeted that he hasn’t asked to leave the club, it’s understood he would rather play in central defense than at right-back, where Xavi posted him during the major part of the 2022/23 campaign.

    According to Mirror Sport, Liverpool are looking to take advantage of the situation if the player remains unstable despite his own protests.

    Depending on how Barcelona’s Financial Fair Play issues develop over the next few weeks, this deal may still need to be done to keep La Liga happy.

    Read next:

    Three additional signings should be made to join Alexis MacAllister for the ideal Liverpool transfer window.

    Three additional signings should be made to join Alexis MacAllister for the ideal Liverpool transfer window.
    Prior to the season-ending Premier League match at Southampton, Liverpool supporter Nick Sapia of LFC Boston offers his opinion on all the most recent Reds talking points.

    Liverpool, which is aware that it cannot finish higher than fifth this year, can nevertheless cap off a challenging season by defeating a Southampton team that has already been relegated.

    Before the game, we spoke with Liverpool supporter Nick Sapia from LFC Boston about the Reds, including the next season and what the summer transfer market would bring.

    No matter what happens in the games over the weekend, Liverpool will finish fifth. How do we evaluate the entire season?

    There is no avoiding it; it has been disappointing. The club was highly erratic generally, although it occasionally displayed flashes of its potential. The season was summed up in the first leg against Real Madrid: they were capable of defeating anyone, but they simply had too many mistakes, mental lapses, and defensive problems to be able to finish off games and produce results.

    They undoubtedly found something in the final stretch, which is encouraging for the following season, but coming in fifth and missing out on the Champions League is a tremendous setback.

    James Milner and Roberto Firmino’s final game will be this one. Added day of feeling!

    Undoubtedly the end of an era. Although last week’s goal was emotional, it was a fitting way for Roberto Firmino to complete his Anfield career. In these recent years, he has been at the epicenter of everything positive that has occurred, smiling the entire while. We will sadly miss the delight with which he plays. Hopefully today’s away end will witness one final “Si Seor” serenade.

    Likewise James Milner. He simply performed the team’s needs as they arose. He is simply a true professional who was quite beneficial to have. The thought of playing against him in the upcoming season makes me dreadful!

    The Liverpool team will undergo a great deal of upheaval this summer. What do you want the summer to bring?

    Three additional signings should be made to join Alexis MacAllister for the ideal Liverpool transfer window.
    I’m most eager to put a stop to all the transfer rumors and determine who will be on the team for the upcoming season. First and foremost, I hope they move fast to complete the acquisition of Alexis MacAllister, who will be the pivotal player in the midfield for the upcoming campaign. We’re learning additional details about two other suspected prospects who are probably moving on to other opportunities: Mason Mount and Manuel Ugarte. Whether it’s Ryan Gravenberch or someone else, I believe Liverpool can still entice other desirable targets. Khéphren Thuram is still someone I really want to see in Liverpool.

    As they need to ensure they sign midfielders who can play in each of the roles — the attacking midfielder (replacing Henderson), the left-sided midfielder (to rotate with Curtis Jones and Thiago Alcântara), and the defensive midfielder (Fabinho will need rest, and there are questions surrounding Stefan Bajeti given his age), three midfield players in that mold give Liverpool options and flexibility.

    The next major need is at center defense, and I’m not sure if they should give the left or right side more priority given how well Andy Robertson has done in the new tactical system. Nevertheless, a left-sided center back would be a welcome addition. Ibou Konaté is essential to the system that enables Trent to go into midfield, but he can’t play in every game, therefore Liverpool needs to have depth there.

    What do you envision for the upcoming season? Do you think Liverpool has the best chance of reclaiming the league’s top spot from Manchester City?

    Liverpool and Manchester City should resume their regular title-duel rivalry, in my opinion. Liverpool is the only team capable of outlasting City in the limited capacity that it is viable to oppose them. Arsenal had a fantastic season, but it ran out of gas; they won’t reach 90 points. So long as no other side can score 90 points, City and Liverpool are my picks.

    Being eliminated from the Champions League is devastating because they always have a chance to win it. However, the Europa League will be competitive and, at the very least, important in providing extra playing time to help a team with several new players gel. Finally, I believe they’ll challenge for the league championship, and I am eager for the new season to begin.