Xavi Hopeful Of Kounde Registration This Week
Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is hopeful that the club will be able to register Jules Kounde on time for their next league match.
Barcelona swooped ahead of Chelsea to sign Kounde from Sevilla for a reported €55m before the start of the season but the Frenchman is still awaiting his competitive debut for the club.
Kounde is the only one from Barcelona's summer recruits yet to be registered, with Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen, Frank Kessie and Raphinha all playing a part in their opening two La Liga games.
Barcelona's dire financial situation means they will have to sell players or renegotiate contracts of existing ones before Kounde can be registered.
Barcelona could free up some financial space by offloading the likes of Memphis Depay, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Samuel Umtiti, Sergino Dest and Martin Braithwaite before the close of the transfer window.
Xavi is hopeful his new signing will be able to feature against Real Valladolid on Sunday.
"It's the situation we have, it bothers me not to have Kounde, those who don't come out depend on many things. It bothers me not to have Jules. Maybe he would have played today for sure," he said in a press conference after the 4-1 win against Real Sociedad.
"It bothers us all. Mateu [Alemany] is doing an extraordinary job. It bothers me because it is important, Mateu must be upset. The work the club is doing is extraordinary.
"It bothers me that he's training well and can't even play. Let's wait for next week."
