'It was an easy choice' - Barcelona's €60m new boy Kounde explains decision to snub Chelsea transfer
- Kounde was primed to join Chelsea
- He got influenced by Xavi's approach
- Set to make UCL debut for Barcelona
WHAT HAPPENED? Kounde was on the verge of signing for Chelsea until Barcelona hijacked that move by agreeing to a deal for four years worth €50 million (£42m/$50m), plus up to €10m (£8.3m/$10.2m) in add-ons. The defender revealed that Barcelona manager Xavi played a key role in his transfer as he liked the Spaniard's methods and approach to football.
WHAT THEY SAID: "Barca is still a club able to attract anyone, and the manager was very important too. He gave me a lot of confidence and I liked his way of approaching football. It was an easy choice for me because he gave me all that I was looking for," he stated ahead of a Champions League clash against Viktoria Plzen.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Barcelona have bolstered their squad in the summer transfer window by signing key players for a number of positions, and Kounde happens to be one of them. Although the France international is naturally a central defender, he boasts considerable experience playing at right-back which makes him a versatile operator and also adds to the squad depth at Camp Nou.
STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT FOR KOUNDE? The 23-year-old defender will look to make his European bow on Wednesday when Barcelona play host to Viktoria Plzen.