If Kounde joins Barcelona, will Xavi dare to bench Pique?

Gerard Pique has been a mainstay of the Barcelona defence for over a decade, but this summer it looks like his place could be in doubt, especially if the club pull off the signing of Jules Kounde from Sevilla.

Kounde is one of the most coveted defenders in Europe and if the Blaugrana can see their way to paying 55 million euros for him, he's not coming to warm the bench.

Add to that the signing of Andreas Christensen, who arrived on a free transfer from Chelsea, and the progress that Ronald Araujo has been making and it's clear that there is stiff competition in the Barcelona backline.

Let's not forget Spanish international Eric Garcia, signed last summer from Manchester City, either. Xavi will certainly have a selection headache this season and a tough time keeping everyone happy.

Araujo and Kounde the future

Araujo, 23, has taken a while to win everyone over since arriving in 2019, but now appears to have been a very shrewd investment and an absolute bargain for an initial fee of under two million euros.

Now, with a freshly signed contract running until 2026, he is expected to start for Barcelona for many years to come.

Alongside the Uruguayan, it appears that Xavi wants Kounde to be part of his defence, having specifically asked for the signing of the Frenchman.

The Sevilla defender was close to joining Chelsea, but when he heard Xavi wanted him at the Camp Nou, everything changed. Barcelona president Joan Laporta is confident that he can give both men what the want and unite them.

Christensen and Garcia in reserve

Even if Xavi decides to go with three centre back formations, it would appear that Christensen would be the third choice, leaving Pique even further down the pecking order.

Eric Garcia, meanwhile, didn't have the most convincing first season in the Blaugrana first team, but at just 21-years-old, Xavi does seem to think he has a future and he made a total of 36 appearances last campaign.

If, as expected, Kounde arrives in Barcelona, Xavi might not have much need for Pique on the pitch.

Arguably, with everything else going on, this is an added problem Pique could do without. From a Barcelona perspective, however, the centre of defence could be the strongest it's been in years.

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