Barcelona and Arsenal set to battle for 22-year-old La Liga breakout star: Reports
Barcelona and Arsenal are reportedly in a race to sign 22-year-old Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume. The LaLiga breakout star has been in impressive form as a defensive midfielder for Sevilla, recording 18 appearances this season.
Lucien Agoume initially joined Sevilla from Inter Milan in January 2024 on a loan deal with an option to buy. This summer, the Andalusians bought 50% of the player's rights for a reported €4 million. The France under-21 star's current deal with the LaLiga side runs until 2028. Agoume has been impressive for Sevilla as a pivot this season, with multiple big clubs looking to secure his services.
According to the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport via Mundo Deportivo (h/t The Hard Tackle), Barcelona and Arsenal are set to battle it out to sign Lucien Agoume this summer. The Catalan giants have been on the lookout for a world-class pivot since Sergio Busquets' departure in 2023.
La Blaugrana were briefly linked to Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich and Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi but deals never materialized. Agoume could be a great signing for Barcelona to reinforce the defensive midfielder position, especially with only Marc Casado covering the position this season. Furthermore, Frenkie de Jong could also be on his way out, making Agoume's potential signing more crucial.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are also interested in signing Agoume with the potential departure of Thomas Partey this summer. The 31-year-old's contract runs out in June 2025 and he could leave as a free agent. The aforementioned report claims that the Gunners are expected to be in a better position to secure Agoume's services.
The report also notes that Sevilla has the right to secure another 40% of the player's rights (making it a total of 90%) for another €4 million. The Andalusians could then sell the midfielder for a larger sum.
Arsenal are ready to offer €75 million to sign Barcelona defender Jules Kounde: Reports
According to reports by Fichajes.net, Arsenal are reportedly ready to offer a whopping €75 million to sign Barcelona defender Jules Kounde. The Frenchman has been in exceptional form for the Catalans since he arrived in 2022, recording 87 clean sheets in 178 matches in LaLiga.
Arsenal are reportedly impressed by Kounde's ability to play both as a center-back and a right-back and his consistently good form at the Camp Nou. The aforementioned report indicates that the 26-year-old could be eyeing a change, with a move to the Premier League exciting him.
Moreover, Barcelona's well-documented poor financial situation could force the club to sell at least one of their key players this summer. The Catalans also have their own set of transfer targets and a potential sale could help implement the same. However, Jules Kounde has been a regular starter for Hansi Flick this season and it remains to be seen if the German agrees to part with one of his best defenders.
