Barcelona boss Xavi brushes off Kounde transfer rumours

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has dismissed talks of Jules Kounde leaving the club this summer transfer window. 

The 24-year-old French international centre-back only recently signed for Barcelona last summer for a reported €50 million from Sevilla. Reports surfaced linking the player with a move away from the club, but the player and now the manager have refuted the claims. 

The former Al-Sadd manager was speaking today ahead of Barcelona's clash against Mallorca tomorrow when he was asked about the continuation of the former Bordeaux man at the club. 

This comes after the player has been linked with a move away, with game time in his preferred position cited as the reason. Kounde is naturally a centre-back but has had to play at right-back for the LaLiga champions this season as they are light in the position, and free transfer signing Christensen proved to be a revelation at centre-back. 

However, Xavi claims that there are no problems with Kounde, as he is a fundamental part of his Barcelona team. 

Meanwhile, Spanish football's governing body, RFEF, has decided to reduce the sentences handed out to Valencia following an incident of reported racist abuse at their Mestalla stadium aimed at Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior.