Barcelona star Jules Kounde could reportedly be deployed as a centre-back if Uruguayan defender Ronald Araujo departs the club.
Araujo joined Barca from Uruguayan side CA Boston River for a reported €1.7 million fee plus €3.5 million in add-ons. Initially assigned to the B team, he became a senior team regular from the 2020-21 season onwards.
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He has made 214 appearances for the Blaugrana across all competitions. However, he has fallen out of favour under Hansi Flick of late, with only 16 of his 38 appearances in the 2025-26 campaign being starts.
Many reports claim that Araujo is willing to fight for his place in the Barcelona lineup and that the club are not actively forcing him out. Yet, if he were to depart the Camp Nou this summer, Flick will not push to sign a centre-back and is set to adapt within the current squad instead.
According to Mundo Deportivo’s Fernando Polo (via @BarcaTimes on X), Kounde will slot in as a centre-back in case Araujo leaves the club. Polo further claims that Spaniard Eric Garcia will fill in if the right-back role is vacated by the Frenchman.
Kounde made a name for himself as a central defender while playing for Girondins de Bordeaux and Sevilla before transitioning to a right-back under ex-Barca coach Xavi. Despite the transition, the 27-year-old has openly admitted that he still prefers to play as a centre-back. He has claimed that he can ‘bring more to the team’ and is ‘more comfortable’ in a central position than he is out wide (via fcbarcelona.com).
Barcelona turn towards Premier League sensation as their pursuit of Julian Alvarez comes to a standstill – Reports
Barcelona have reportedly turned their attention towards Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi after running into several hurdles in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez.
Kroupi joined the Cherries from Ligue 1 side Lorient for a reported £12 million fee last summer. He enjoyed a breakout debut campaign in the Premier League, racking up 13 goals in 33 games.
The 20-year-old forward turned heads with his clinical finishing, explosive pace, attacking positioning, elite link-up play and several other attributes. Several top European sides, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona, have showcased an interest in signing the Frenchman.
Barca’s primary striker target throughout this transfer window has been Alvarez, who is considered one of the best in the world at the position. However, Atletico Madrid are unwilling to sell directly to their LaLiga rivals, a stance that they made very clear via a series of hilarious and sharp social media posts.
Due to this, Diario SPORT (via Barca Universal) reports that the Blaugrana have been left frustrated and sporting director Deco is exploring a move for Kroupi as an alternative plan. However, Bournemouth’s football operations chief Tiago Pinto has made it clear that their prized possession is not for sale, even for a whopping €100 million fee.
It will be interesting to see if Barcelona can make a move to test the Cherries’ resolve and make them consider a move for Kroupi.
Edited by Aaryan Nagraj