Real Madrid showing interest in one of La Liga’s best CB prospects

Real Madrid don’t need to sign a center back this summer, but they do need to keep monitoring young prospects at the position.

Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane were, once again, Europe’s best center back duo, returning to form in Real Madrid‘s title-winning 2019-2020 campaign after a mediocre 2018-2019 campaign. Behind them, Real have new 22-year-old center back Eder Miltiao, who has shined when he’s needed to start.

Los Blancos can have faith in Militao as Ramos’ successor one day, but they need to keep monitoring other center back prospects around the world in order to make sure they have young depth that can keep developing.

According to a report from ESPN FC’s Rodrigo Faez, Real Madrid are monitoring Sevilla center back Jules Kounde, who is one of a few players at the newly-qualified Champions League side to emerge as one of La Liga’s next big stars.

Diego Carlos, his center back partner, was a Team of the Season player in 2019-2020, but Kounde was also excellent. He completed over 85 percent of his passes in La Liga, per WhoScored.com, and nearly 95 percent of them in the Europa League.

The 21-year-old has all the tools to be a world-class center back, hence why Sevilla signed the French center back for nearly 30 million euros. Kounde’s first season in La Liga has gone swimmingly, and he showed that he can hold his own in European competition.

Of course, Kounde would have to keep improving defensively, and he probably isn’t ready to even make a move to Real Madrid. But if Zinedine Zidane is high on him, it should only be a matter of time before he is signed.

Since he won’t come cheap due to his upside and the expensive deal to bring him to Sevilla, 2021 would be the most likely date when a transfer could even be discussed. But for now, it is wise for Real Madrid to keep a close eye on Kounde. You can only imagine how he, Varane, and Militao could work together in a rotation one day.