According to El Nacional, Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez has asked club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Mateu Alemany to snap up Kounde. The report also added that the club hierarchy has identified the 23-year-old as the one to replace Pique in the first team.
Earlier, Laporta had recommended the option of retirement to Pique, as the player allegedly ceased to be a good example for the rest of his teammates. As per the report, Pique rejected the idea, as he still feels he's prepared to help the team in a considerable capacity.Pique, who has two years left on his current deal at the Camp Nou, is currently running the risk of becoming a benchwarmer next season. While Ronald Araujo has become a mainstay at the heart of the Blaugrana defence in the last two seasons, new signing Andreas Christensen will be keen to impress too. If the Blaugrana seal a reported €60 million transfer for Kounde, Pique could spend large swathes of next season on the sidelines.Since his return to Barcelona in 2008, Pique has made 603 appearances for the club, registering 53 goals and 13 assists. He has also helped the club lift a staggering 30 trophies, including eight La Liga and three UEFA Champions League titles.
Meanwhile, the La Liga outfit opened their pre-season with a 1-1 draw against Spanish fifth-division side UE Olot in a domestic friendly on July 13. The Blaugrana will next face Inter Miami, Real Madrid, Juventus and New York Red Bulls in the United States.
The in and out nature of Gerald
Pique has made him so undependable that Xavi is looking forward in bringing this young chap in other give more depth into his back line, with the inclusion of Andre's Christiansen and also rumored that Chelsea football club captain would also join could be a strong team
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