One year later, is Yoan Makoundou going to join this big European club?
One year later, FC Barcelona is back on the case for Yoan Makoundou (2.07 m, 26 years old). According to our information, the French big man is currently in talks with Barça for the 2026-2027 season. The player from the Paris region had already reached an agreement with the Catalan club during the summer of 2025, but AS Monaco had blocked his departure at the time. Since then, his situation has changed a lot: barely used by Vassilis Spanoulis in the Principality, he moved to China midway through the season before returning to Monaco as a medical replacement for Nikola Mirotic and taking part in the French championship title.
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Yoan Makoundou and FC Barcelona, a case already opened in 2025
FC Barcelona’s interest in Yoan Makoundou doesn’t date back to this summer, then. In 2025, the two parties had reached an agreement, but the deal couldn’t be finalized since Monaco had chosen to keep their big man, who still had a year left on his contract.
The following season was eventful for the former Cholet player. Makoundou first played with the Roca Team before leaving for the Chinese Basketball Association. With the Fujian Sturgeons, he averaged 15.2 points on 50.2% shooting, 6.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 blocks in just 22 minutes per game over 19 games. After his stint in China ended… he made his return to Monaco, signed to fill in for the absent Nikola Mirotic. He ultimately finished the season with the French championship title, being decisive in game 5 in Paris (14 points and 3 rebounds).
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FC Barcelona has deeply reshaped its project
This new attempt comes in a very different environment from that of 2025. FC Barcelona has considerably renewed its roster and scaled back after the departures of Tornike Shengelia, Will Clyburn, Nicolas Laprovittola, Youssoupha Fall, Tomas Satoransky, Willy Hernangomez, and Jan Vesely, who retired.
The frontcourt has notably been rebuilt around Josh Nebo, Olek Balcerowski and Olivier Nkamhoua. Barça also changed coaches with the arrival of Aleksander Sekulic, while also recruiting Justin Robinson (from Paris Basketball) as well as EuroLeague newcomers: Umoja Gibson, Stanley Umude, Tyrese Martin and Tosan Evbuomwan.
Xevi Pujol now in charge of FC Barcelona’s recruitment
Most importantly, the Catalan club’s sporting organization has changed. Xevi Pujol, 36, now holds the position of sporting director, succeeding the much-criticized and very costly Juan Carlos Navarro.
A native of Manresa, Pujol spent most of his career at the club of his hometown. An assistant between 2014 and 2020, he became its sporting director until 2025. His work earned him the title of sporting director of the year from the magazine Gigantes del Basket.
He then joined Baskonia as technical secretary during the 2025-2026 season, which notably ended with a Spanish Cup victory. It is now under his leadership that Barça is looking into the possibility of bringing in Yoan Makoundou. A deal that was already well advanced twelve months ago, but which could this time have a different outcome.
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