Kounde: 'I waited for Barça as that is where I want to be'

Jules Kounde is now officially a Barça player and the Frenchman was presented to the world on Monday at an event which took place at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. The new blaugrana defender was accompanied by president Joan Laporta and the director of football, Mateu Alemany as Kounde donned the Barça shirt for the first time in public. 

The French international and the president both agreed that the desire of the player to join the blaugranes was key factor in the negotiations for his signature. "I had another option but I waited for Barça to reach a deal with Sevilla. It's a club with an ambitious project and I like La Liga so I made an effort as this is where I want to be," said Kounde. 

The central defender was a player requested by the blaugrana coach Xavi Hernández, explained president Joan Laporta. The 23 year old revealed that his conversations with the Barça boss were another crucial factor in his decision to sign for Barça. "Talking to Xavi was easy and I could feel his warmth and his desire for me to sign. That was important for me," stressed Kounde. "He asked me to continue what I have been doing at Sevilla, be agressive and bring the ball out from the back, which are my strong points," he added. 

After three seasons with the Andalusians, Kounde believes he is well placed to settle in quickly at the Club: "I think my knowledge of La Liga will make things easier but the most important thing is to adapt to the Barça style and what the coach wants." 

Kounde is the latest in a long list of players who have come to Barça from Sevilla. The president, Joan Laporta, praised the Andalusians and stressed the good relations between the two clubs: "The opportunity came about because Sevilla were prepared to sell the player and because were were insistent and it was the wish of the player, it was all possible." 

The blaugrana president revealed the priority for the Club "is to register the new players and resolve the situation of those players who are not needed by the coach," although he went to say that nothing can discounted before the end of the transfer window. 

Kounde has trained at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper over the last few days alone and he will get the chance to do so with his new team mates on Wednesday in the first of this week's training sessions for Xavi Hernández's squad.