Getty Xavi wants Jules Kounde at Barcelona.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez has been short of options on the left side of his defense during the 2021-22 season with 33-year-old Jordi Alba the only recognized left-back in his squad.
The Catalans look set to reinforce the left-back slot in the summer transfer window to provide back-up and competition for Alba, and Xavi has now come up with a new “favorite” target, as reported by El Desmarque.
Xavi’s current “priority” is Espanyol defender Adria Pedrosa who the Barca coach prefers ahead of other options such as Real Betis left-back Alex Moreno or Celta Vigo’s Javi Galan.
Pedrosa is out of contract with Barca’s local rivals Espanyol in 2023 which means the club may be tempted to sell in the the summer to avoid losing the 23-year-old for free when his contract expires.
Bringing in a left-back certainly seems a priority for Barca. Xavi has “made it known” to the club chiefs that Alba alone “is not enough” for next season. Right-back Sergino Dest has been able to cover in the current campaign but could be sold if an acceptable offer arrives.
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Pedrosa Turns Down Espanyol Offers
Pedrosa is a regular fixture in the Espanyol starting XI. The youngster has started 30 of the team’s 32 fixtures in La Liga in 2021-22, scoring once and also contributing one assist.
Espanyol have been trying to secure Pedrosa’s long-term future but have not had any success so far. The defender has turned down three contract renewal offers, as reported by Diario Sport.
The Parakeets are aware of Pedrosa’s value and “are not willing to let him go free” when his contract expires. Espanyol will be keen to get as large a fee as possible for Pedrosa in the summer but will not be in a strong negotiating position with the defender into the final year of his contract.
Pedrosa Talks Messi & Ansu
Pedrosa may be an Espanyol player but he has made his admiration for a certain Barcelona player clear already. The defender risked the wrath of his own supporters by swapping shirts with Lionel Messi after a local derby in 2019.
Espanyol fans have taken to social media to insult one of their own players.
His crime? He wanted to exchange shirts with one of the greatest to ever play the game…
The defender was only 20 at the time but made it clear after the game he had absolutely no regrets. He told Marca, “Everything surprised me that night. I had to wait to do what I did in the changing room area, but I was surprised by all of the messages I received. People can say what they want, but I don’t think I did anything wrong.”
Pedrosa has also played alongside Barcelona’s Ansu Fati for the Spain national team and spoke about his first impressions of the young striker.
“Playing with him is normal. We’re teammates. He’s got a lot of hype, but he’s a normal person,” he said. “He is a very quiet boy. But he’s emerging more with time and he’s very kind, so I’m very happy with him.”
Fati has since taken over Messi’s No. 10 shirt at Barcelona following the former captain’s departure for Paris Saint-Germain. The striker has struggled with injuries in recent seasons but is back in full training and close to a return to action.
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