Bayern Interest in Jules Koundé Put on Hold Over Defensive Surplus

Overview

• Reports on Saturday say Bayern remain interested in Jules Koundé but have paused active pursuit because they must first sell players to free up defensive places.
• Koundé is settled at Barcelona with a contract through 2030 and has made 188 appearances for the club, scoring 10 goals since joining in 2022.
• Bayern have already added Nathaniel Brown and Ismael Saibari this window and are prioritising trimming the defensive group before any further signings.
• Names repeatedly linked as potential departures to create space include Sacha Boey, Hiroki Ito, Kim Min‑jae and João Palhinha, while Konrad Laimer and Josip Stanišić provide internal cover and Givairo Read is another external target.
• Barcelona are not urgent to sell but would reportedly consider sizeable offers near €65 million, so any transfer depends on Bayern making sales and then submitting a large bid while Koundé currently appears happy at Camp Nou.