Jules Kounde has no intention of leaving Barcelona this summer despite growing interest from several leading European clubs, with the France defender determined to continue his career at Camp Nou.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Kounde remains committed to Barcelona after extending his contract last year until the summer of 2030. The new agreement underlined his desire to remain part of the project led by head coach Hansi Flick.
Barcelona are aware of the 27-year-old’s position and do not currently expect him to depart during the transfer window. Kounde has made his wish to stay clear on more than one occasion, while his agent has delivered the same message to the club’s hierarchy.
The defender is attracting attention from Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur. However, none of those clubs has made a formal offer for his services so far.
Reports in England have suggested Tottenham Hotspur could be prepared to offer up to 65m euros for Kounde. That reported interest has not yet developed into an official approach.
Barcelona’s sporting department is not considered particularly concerned about Kounde’s future unless an exceptional proposal arrives and forces the club to reassess its position. The player’s response has remained consistent whenever he has been asked about the possibility of leaving: he does not want to leave Barcelona.
Sporting director Deco and Flick are nevertheless aware that the transfer market can produce unexpected developments in the coming days. As a result, Barcelona have not completely closed the door on every possible scenario, even though Kounde’s stance currently appears decisive.
Kounde’s commitment is not based solely on a personal wish to remain in Catalonia. He has become one of the key members of Flick’s team and enjoys the strong confidence of the coaching staff.
Since joining Barcelona from Sevilla in 2022, Kounde has made 188 appearances for the Catalan club. That record already places him among the most-used French players in Barcelona’s history.
He is now only five matches away from equalling the total of compatriot Eric Abidal, who leads the list of French players with the most appearances for the club on 193.
Kounde has already moved beyond several other French internationals who have represented Barcelona. He has made more appearances than Ousmane Dembele, who played 185 times for the club, while he is also ahead of Clement Lenglet on 160 and Samuel Umtiti on 134.
Remaining at Barcelona would therefore represent more than a decision to ignore interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs. If he continues to feature regularly, Kounde could soon move level with Abidal and then become the French player with the most appearances in Barcelona’s history, adding another significant achievement to his career at the club.