Sergio Ramos’ departure from Real Madrid was an eventuality the club always knew they would have to deal with, although few thought it would be in the summer of 2021, yet Jules Kounde of Sevilla is seen as an option to replace the veteran.
Linked with Manchester United
Kounde has been linked with Manchester United as a result of his rise to prominence with Sevilla, although Los Blancos also recognise his defensive talents. A buyout clause of 80 million euros may be seen as prohibitive by Florentino Perez, especially at a time of financial cost-cutting, but it’s difficult to find a suitable replacement for Ramos within Los Merengues’ limited budget. There are many tier-1 clubs interesting in the defender but there is still no official movement.
Sevilla – perfect club for RM
Whilst many will point to the fact Ramos himself developed at Sevilla before his switch to the Spanish capital, the Sevilla of today isn’t at all the same beast. They are now a club seen as having legitimate European pedigree, and excelling whilst playing for Sevilla is more of a sign of elite-level readiness than when Ramos was signed for 27 million euros. Under Julen Lopetegui, Kounde has emerged as the team’s best defender. He has suitably partnered Diego Carlos and has shown a fine level of technical ability.
He isn’t, yet, the leader that Ramos is at Real Madrid, and you worry about whether that’s more of what Carlo Ancelotti will need. Raphael Varane performs best when next to Ramos, while his partnership with Eder Militao has been a slow-starter. David Alaba can be that veteran presence who would complement Kounde well, although it’s unlikely Ancelotti will utilise a system with three central defenders. It’s difficult to see Los Blancos spending that sort of money on a player this summer for reasons mentioned above, but it’s not impossible.