Man United Close In on Kone as Roma Boss Admits They Need to Sell

Gian Piero Gasperini didn’t sugarcoat it. His Roma team just clinched Champions League qualification, and that should be the kind of achievement that lets a club hold onto its best players. But the Italian manager acknowledged this week that even that isn’t enough anymore. The budget says they have to sell.

Manu Kone is the guy most likely to go. Manchester United have been circling the 25-year-old French midfielder for weeks, and according to multiple reports, personal terms are already agreed. The fee is expected to land around £45 million. Roma need that money to stay compliant with UEFA’s financial rules, and Gasperini isn’t pretending otherwise.

The financial reality hit hard

“I’d hoped that entry into the Champions League would have been enough,” Gasperini said. “But budgets are important for clubs and must be respected. The financial fair play conditions are never exactly precise or defined. They vary from team to team. It’s undeniable that Roma know we have to balance the budgets, which has been tough in recent years.”

That’s a pretty direct admission from a manager who just got his team back into Europe’s top competition. Kone was a big reason they got there. He played a key role in midfield all season, and Gasperini pointed out that Kone went from not featuring for France at all to earning a starting spot. That says something about his growth.

United’s midfield puzzle

Manchester United have already added Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos to their midfield this summer. But they’re still looking for a true number six. Kone fits that description. Liverpool have also been linked with him and have a longer track record of interest. But United appear to be the ones pushing hardest right now.

Fabrizio Romano has confirmed United are chasing Kone alongside other options, including Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga. That suggests the club is keeping its options open. But the Kone deal is furthest along. The money works. The player wants the move. Roma need the cash.

World Cup exit clears the way

Kone’s future should become clearer now that France is out of the 2026 World Cup. He played the second half of France’s semifinal loss to Spain on Tuesday — a 2-0 defeat that ended their tournament. That loss probably accelerates the timeline on a transfer. No one wants to negotiate while a player is still in a major competition.

So expect movement in the next week or two. Gasperini has essentially confirmed that a sale is happening. The only questions left are the final fee and whether United closes it before someone else steps in.