Jules Koundé will begin his third season at FC Barcelona knowing he is one of the team's main starters, despite not being able to do so in his favorite position. The French international has made it clear on several occasions that he prefers to play as a center back and not as a right back, but Hansi Flick, like Xavi Hernández at the time, is clear that, in the Barça scheme, the Parisian fits better on the side.
The latest information about the imminent transfer of Julián Araujo to Bournemouth leaves the squad without one less option for the right wing. With Héctor Fort and Álex Valle as the main alternatives, the coaching staff sees the Frenchman as the ideal footballer for the position, awaiting the movements made by the board in the remaining three weeks of the summer market.
Last season, 25-year-old defender alternated his role more than the Egarense coach would have wanted. With France, Didier Deschamps has also chosen to play Koundé on the right, this being his position during the six games he played in the Euro Cup.
Barça still has several decisions to make with its defenses
At the moment, Barça has Araújo, Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Iñigo Martínez and Eric García as center backs for 2024/25. Of the five, it is likely that one will end up leaving, with the Basque as a possible 'sacrificed'. However, with Eric there is no definition, since the Catalan will only return this week after winning the gold medal with Spain in the Olympic Games along with Cubarsi and Fermín.
Clément Lenglet is also still with the team and Flick seems to like him, but the club is prioritizing his departure due to his high salary. With Christensen, the plan seems to aim at leaving him as a pivot, as long as another player does not arrive for that position. As for full-backs, the possibility of recovering Joao Cancelo also remains open, although Manchester City insists on a definitive transfer in the order of 20 'kilos' and not on another simple transfer. If he returns, the Portuguese can also play with a changed profile, although Alejandro Balde will start the season as a starter on the left. As things stand, Koundé seems 'condemned' to play as a right back for another season in Barcelona.