24/05/2023 Act. a las 19:54 CEST
Barca have been handling the ‘Conde case’ for several days since the footballer’s decision to listen to offers starting this summer as he was not satisfied with his role in the Blaugrana team. The club were aware of his sporting dissatisfaction, although it was believed that the situation could be rectified, but the presence of Chelsea or United, keen to go for his signature, could markedly change the scenario. Barca have already made it clear to the centre-back’s admission that they will not negotiate an offer for less than €75 million and it remains to be seen whether they will be able to reach those figures in the premiership.
Conde was a strategic signing for Barca, who fought until the last minute with Chelsea to win his signature. He paid 55 million euros and he became one of the most expensive signings of the summer in an operation that could have been called off because of the player’s insistence and ended up at the Camp Nou. For this reason, it is surprising that after a year, the footballer is ready to leave the Blaugrana unit for the premiership.
The French central defender arrived with the promise that he would be practically undeniable at the rear. And that was really the idea. Xavi intended to form a pairing with the ex-Sevilla player and Araújo to compete with everything but the appearance of Christensen, a zero-cost signing who came in to complete the squad, upended this initial plan. interrupted. Xavi is balancing out the back, although in the end he keeps Kunde more of a winger, preferring the Araujo-Christensen pairing. The coach has also used Marcos Alonso a lot as a left footed central defender to get more off the ball.
Kunde entered a spiral of frustration that ended with his substitution at half-time in the game against Real Sociedad. He does not feel comfortable in the team and it is clear to him that next season could be even more difficult with the arrival of Inigo MartÃnez. If we add to that the fact that United and Chelsea are pressing for him to sign, then the situation is out and we will have to see how it pans out.
Barca need to sell before June 30 and their cards are marked. Anu, Ferran Torres and Casey had to leave as quickly as possible, while the club was open to listening to offers from Rafinha. New sporting director Deco wants the Brazilian to stay but has not closed the door on his departure despite offers of more than €80 million. The option of selling Conde now could inspire the Brazilian’s continuation in the team.
The Blaugrana club will not rush as the coaching staff and playing field understand that Kunde is a center figure for the future. They understand that he hasn’t had a great year as it has been difficult for him to adapt not playing so closely, but he sees a great future for him. Therefore, they will not underestimate even if the player is angry. The idea is to hold off his departure until Chelsea or United pay the stratospheric sum. And it is likely to happen as both the clubs are looking for a right-handed centre-back and he has enough potential to cope with the million-dollar operation.
At the moment, there has been no official proposal, but the player environment has suggested that it could happen after the official competition is over. Barca are interested in clarifying this issue as soon as possible because it is important to close the sale of one or two million dollars before 30 June. Kaunde’s departure would also mean strengthening the defensive zone, especially on the flanks, a position that would now be very lame.
