Barcelona's pursuit of Julian Alvarez could hand Arsenal a Kounde opening
Barcelona's long running pursuit of Julian Alvarez could end up working in Arsenal's favour, with the Catalan club reportedly willing to sell Jules Kounde to help fund a move for the Atletico Madrid striker.
Alvarez has shown no appetite for a switch to Arsenal, with the forward said to favour a move to Barcelona instead. Atletico Madrid are reluctant to sell to a direct rival, and time is said to be running out for the Argentine to engineer the switch he wants. Despite that, Barcelona have not given up and are reportedly planning another approach.
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Player sales could fund Alvarez deal
Barcelona's well documented financial constraints remain the biggest obstacle to any deal for Alvarez, and the club may need to sell players to generate the funds required. According to Fichajes, Kounde is one of the players Barcelona would be willing to let go to help finance a move.
Kounde has been linked with Arsenal for a long time, and his potential availability could present an opportunity for Mikel Arteta's side. The France international has established himself as one of the more versatile defenders in Europe, capable of playing at right back or in central defence.
Arsenal's defensive situation
Arsenal have dealt with fitness issues involving Ben White and Jurrien Timber this season, which has made defensive reinforcements an important consideration for the club going forward. Ezri Konsa has also been mentioned as an option capable of covering right back, but Arsenal's admiration for Kounde is said to remain in place regardless.
Should Barcelona decide to cash in on the defender to strengthen their finances, Arsenal could look to revisit their interest either in the January window or next summer. Nothing is imminent at this stage, and Kounde's future still hinges largely on whether Barcelona can find a way to fund a deal for Alvarez in the first place.
For now, Arsenal's role in this situation remains reactive rather than active. The club will have to wait to see whether Barcelona's pursuit of Alvarez progresses far enough to force Kounde's availability onto the market, at which point a concrete approach could follow.
