Barcelona star reveals he rejected Chelsea after 'preferring' Xavi's approach to Thomas Tuchel's

Kounde joined Barcelona in 2022 after an impressive spell with Sevilla, where he notably won the 2019-20 Europa League. Known for his defensive solidity, tactical awareness, and ability to play out from the back, Kounde quickly became an integral part of Barcelona’s defence and has helped the club secure two La Liga titles. 

Before joining Barcelona, Kounde was heavily pursued by Chelsea, sparking a transfer battle between the two clubs. Ultimately, Barcelona secured his signature as Xavi’s vision and project convinced Kounde more than Tuchel’s Chelsea. Since arriving, he has been an essential figure in stabilising the defence and contributing to Barcelona’s domestic and European ambitions.

Kounde has revealed that Xavi’s approach impressed him more than Tuchel’s, highlighting the Spaniard’s natural way of speaking when discussing football. This played a key role in his decision to join Barcelona over Chelsea.

“I enjoyed our conversation," he said. "Time flew by, and that's always a good sign when you're talking so naturally. We mainly talk about football, which is what I like talking about most, especially with the manager, Xavi, who was one of the best players ever.”

He added: “I spoke to Tuchel and felt that he wanted me to go, but I simply preferred Xavi's approach.”

Kounde also favoured Barcelona because they planned to use him as a centre-back, unlike Chelsea who wanted him as a full back, saying: “I chose Bara because I know that most of the time I will play in this position [centre-back].”

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In July of this year, reports suggested that Manchester City were interested in Kounde as they looked to strengthen their defence. The French centre-back had been one of Barcelona’s standout performers the previous season, playing a key role in their league-winning campaign and even scoring the decisive Copa del Rey final goal against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, City endured their toughest season under Pep Guardiola since 2016–17, finishing without a major trophy and struggling defensively. Speculation ended, though, when Kounde signed a contract extension with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until 2030. 

Barcelona sporting director Deco confirmed that City did check on Kounde’s availability in July, saying: "No, there was no offer. The only thing I do know is that City, and now there's [new director of football] Hugo Viana and before that there was Txiki [Begiristain], were looking for a full-back, and of course they asked us if Koundé was on the market. And we told them no. So, there was no offer or any negotiation."

With Kounde signing an extension until 2030, committing his future to Barcelona, his decision to join the Catalan club has paid off handsomely. He has won multiple titles with the club while competing at the highest levels in Europe. Barcelona returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in their first game at the Camp Nou since renovations. 

Barcelona sit 11th in the Champions League with seven points from four matches, five worse off than leaders Bayern Munich and Arsenal. The Catalan club come up against Kounde's former suitors Chelsea on Tuesday aiming to prevent the German and English clubs, who will face each other on Wednesday, from moving further ahead. Then, on Saturday, they return to La Liga action with a game against Deportivo Alaves. Sitting just one point behind Real Madrid, who have drawn two in a row in the division, they are gunning for another league crown under coach Hansi Flick.