Real Madrid Transfers: The big Jules Kounde question this summer

Real Madrid stand a high chance of losing one of the world’s best center backs this summer in Raphael Varane. While there is still hope that Los Blancos can keep the French national team standout, the reality is that he may have already made up his mind that he would like to leave the club. And thus, discussions about how to replace him and Sergio Ramos, who has already bid farewell after botched contract negotiations, are a priority among Madridistas.

For months, fans have known about the possibility of losing both players, and no center back has been more favored by Madridistas than Sevilla’s Jules Kounde. Not even Pau Torres in LaLiga or other French standouts like Benoit Badiashile or Maxence Lacroix have captured the wishes of the fanbase quite like Kounde.

And when you watch him play, it is easy to see why he is favored by the fans. Kounde is just 22 years old, yet he is one of the most intelligent defenders you’ll see. He is very comfortable with the ball at his feet, and you will only occasionally witness him putting a foot wrong defensively. Most young defenders will be known for rash challenges or errors of judgment, but you don’t really see those with Kounde.

Varane was similarly composed and mature for his age when he first emerged at Real Madrid, having been a bargain signing from Lens. It is vital for a young defender to be “ready” in order to make the step up to Madrid, and Kounde absolutely checks that box.

How far can Real Madrid get Jules Kounde away from the release clause?

There is one problem, though. Everyone knows how good Kounde is. Sevilla purchased him for 25 million euros from Bordeaux a couple of years ago, and he is now easily worth double that amount. He was a significant investment for the Andalusian club to begin with, and now Sevilla can reap the benefits with clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid potentially in the market.

In an ideal world, Real would go after the best possible target to replace two world-class center backs in Ramos and Varane. But we very clearly do not live in an ideal world due to the pandemic. Therefore, money becomes a serious object for a player with a release clause of at least 80 million euros.

Sevilla will insist on that clause for as long as possible, and Real will never pay. So the focus turns to other suitors and how high they are willing to go. And interestingly enough, if United are one of the suitors, they may be taken off the table if they go for Varane instead, as he is likely slightly more favorable to their ambitions.

How low will Sevilla go? Or conversely, how high are Real Madrid willing to go? Much of that is dependent upon the whims of both clubs, but a significant swing in value will be predicated upon the number of suitors Sevilla have. And with other center backs like Varane and Torres available, Sevilla may have to settle for something closer to 50-60 million euros than, say, 75-90 million euros.

That bodes well for Real, given they should get around that much for Varane, even considering that the World Cup winner has just one year left on his contract. Kounde is quite clearly the best replacement for Varane and probably the only player who can credibly replace such an accomplished, generational talent.

Although Kounde is expensive, he is within reach for Real Madrid. Which shelf the prize lays on, though, is contingent on the variables of an ever-fluid transfer market. Namely the demand in Kounde, the supply of other center backs, and the differential goals and values of the various participants at the negotiating table.