Xavi was the key reason for Kounde’s move to Barcelona.
Jules Kounde joined Barcelona in this summer window even though he was inching closer to a move to Chelsea.
The defender has been deployed in the right-back position rather than at the heart of defence.
Kounde was close to leaving Sevilla for Chelsea but he explains how a phone call with Xavi changed his mind on his future.
Kounde explained: “I was close to signing for Chelsea this summer. They were talking to me and Barcelona were interested too, but there were always doubts from them. The moment that changed the situation was the phone call from Xavi, I did not hesitate from there.”
He further added: “The coach Xavi is one of the great reasons why I’m here. I’ve spoken to him several times and the way he spoke was captivating. We had some good conversations, we see football in the same way. Now it’s a question of coming into the team, doing my best and getting as many minutes as possible.”
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