Cavani unlikely to help Man Utd beat Chelsea to Kounde
Robin Bairner
- 12 Nov 2021 13:10 GMT
- 5 min read
Premier League pair Manchester United and Chelsea continue to squabble over the future of Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde.
Both clubs are in need of reinforcement in the heart of their defence.
Man Utd need an additional player to bring depth to a sector in which Harry Maguire has struggled for form this season, while Raphael Varane has not entirely settled after arriving from Real Madrid in the summer.
Chelsea’s problems are less immediate, though with Andreas Christensen, Antonio Rudiger and Thiago Silva all possessing contracts that expire in June, they are no less important.
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France international Kounde has been earmarked as a potential signing by both clubs, with Chelsea even going close to signing him in the summer only to fail due to an inability to agree terms with Sevilla.
Indeed, the Primera Division side have been very definite over what they want: the €80m buy-out fee stipulated in Kounde’s deal.
Sevilla hold the balance of power in these negotiations, too, with the player’s contract not up until 2024.
Cavani a solution to Kounde impasse?
Manchester United, like Chelsea, have not been willing to meet Sevilla’s valuation of Kounde, but according to Fichajes may have an alternative solution to the problem.
One of these could be including Edinson Cavani in a swap deal.
From Man Utd’s position, this makes some sense. They have an excess of centre forwards, while Cavani’s age and short contract means that he holds little transfer value. Furthermore, he is also on a substantial wage.
Cavani, though, is unlikely to be a player who tips the balance of this deal.
Sevilla’s forward line could use a forward of genuine experience, but Cavani’s mammoth wages are unlikely to appeal. Furthermore, in the form of Youssouf En-Nesyri, Rafa Mir and Munir El Haddad, they are well stocked with options of their own offensively.
En-Nesyri is presently injured and could be out for two months, so by the time Cavani arrived in any hypothetical deal, he would be returning.
And to make a swap deal work, the player must also agree to a transfer. Cavani would likely embrace the opportunity to play first-team football more regularly, but equally his desire is to move back to South America to be closer to his family. Signing even a medium-term deal with Sevilla is unlikely to be one that appeals to him.
Man Utd can always ask Sevilla the question, but Cavani is not likely to be the man to give them the edge in the race for Kounde.
