Manchester United has already locked down two midfielders this summer. Andrey Santos is officially in the building. Youri Tielemans just wrapped up his medical before signing a five-year deal. But Michael Carrick wants one more body in the engine room, and the rumor mill has been churning.
The problem? One of the names fans keep circling — France international Manu Kone — apparently isn’t on United’s radar right now.
Kone had a hell of a World Cup. He started games over Aurelien Tchouameni, who was United’s top target for a while. His physicality, his range, his ability to just steamroll through midfield — it’s the kind of profile that makes you think, yeah, that’s what this team needs. Especially with Casemiro gone and Manuel Ugarte hurt. Especially with a price tag around £47 million that INEOS could probably swallow without breaking a sweat.
But according to The Athletic’s Carl Anka, speaking on the Talk of The Devil podcast, Kone is not on the shortlist. Anka put it pretty bluntly: “I don’t have the phone book of Laurie Whitwell and Andy Mitten, but from what I can tell and when I tried to check on Friday — Manu Kone is NOT on Manchester United’s shortlist.”
That doesn’t completely rule out a move. United could circle back. But the vibe right now is that they’re taking their time, weighing options, not rushing into anything.
AS Roma is reportedly open to selling Kone, so that door isn’t shut. But it’s also not the priority some assumed it was.
Meanwhile, the club is looking at other options. Bournemouth’s Alex Scott is on the list, but the Cherries are asking for a number that’s giving United pause. Ayyoub Bouaddi — another breakout star from the World Cup — is also in the conversation. But Lille’s demands are apparently testing INEOS’s patience.
United’s midfield isn’t the only hole Carrick needs to fill. He’s also in the market for a left winger, a backup striker, and maybe a fullback if Noussair Mazraoui leaves this window. There’s a lot still to sort out before the window closes.
Fans are waiting. The rumor mill keeps spinning. But for now, Kone isn’t walking through that door anytime soon.
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