Manchester United and Aston Villa already had a pretty eventful summer together. United triggered Youri Tielemans’ release clause and pulled him out of Villa Park. Villa responded by grabbing Joao Gomes, a guy United had been tracking for a while. Now it looks like these two clubs are about to run it back for another midfield target.
That target is AS Roma’s Manu Kone. The 25-year-old French midfielder has been on Premier League radars for a while, and the interest is finally turning into something more concrete.
Kone’s Next Move Could Be England
According to reports from Italy, Kone turned down Atletico Madrid earlier this window. He wants a move to the Premier League, and he’s got options. United, Villa, and Chelsea are all in the picture. Sportmediaset describes the offers from England as significantly more attractive than anything else he’s seen.
Kone isn’t your typical destroyer. He’s aggressive enough to play the ball-winning role, but he’s also comfortable on the ball and can carry it forward. That combination has made him a priority for United, who need someone to sit next to Tielemans and Kobbie Mainoo and do the dirty work.
Corriere dello Sport reported on Thursday that Premier League clubs are sending increasingly persistent signals to Roma about Kone. The same paper also picked up on Rio Ferdinand’s claim on his YouTube channel that United had already agreed a €53 million deal for the midfielder. Roma, for what it’s worth, denied that any agreement exists between the two clubs.
Roma Playing Hardball on Valuation
It sounds like Roma’s asking price is higher than the €53 million figure Ferdinand threw out there. And with France now out of the World Cup, things could move quickly. Kone had asked his agents to put all transfer talks on hold while he was with the national team. That pause button is off now.
Next week might be the moment things heat up. United need a defensive midfielder, and their shortlist just got shorter when Gomes went to Villa. Kone checks a lot of boxes for them. But Villa is still lurking, and Chelsea could make things messy if they decide to push.
For now, it’s a waiting game. Kone wants England. United want a midfielder. And Villa might just want to spoil United’s plans again.
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