Manchester United and Chelsea are lining up bids for AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone. And from the looks of it, things could move fast.
The French international just finished a strong World Cup run with Les Bleus, making five appearances in the semifinals after stepping in for Aurelien Tchouameni. His composure on the ball and ability to carry it forward didn’t go unnoticed. Neither did his work shielding the backline when France needed it most.
The clubs are circling
Friday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport, relayed by Sport Witness, says both Premier League clubs have made initial approaches. United reportedly reached out to Kone’s camp and found out he’s open to the move — even though his dream club is PSG. The problem there? Paris is stacked in midfield and isn’t shopping for another name right now.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have been poking around during their talks with Roma about Alejandro Garnacho’s potential transfer. The Italian paper claims both English clubs are expected to submit formal offers in the coming days. No exact numbers are out yet, but Roma is apparently hoping for something in the €55-60 million range.
What kind of player is Kone?
At 6’1″, Kone brings serious athleticism to the middle of the park. Totalfootballanalysis compared him to Toni Kroos or Luka Modric as a tempo-setter, but his standout trait is his physical engine. He’s the kind of player who can run all game and break up play while also pushing forward.
Fabrizio Romano recently noted that United specifically wants a defensive midfielder to pair with Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans — someone who can do the running and let those two work their passing. Kone fits that profile. Romano says United have already called his agents.
Gazzetta also reported yesterday that United are in pole position to land the Toulouse academy product, despite Chelsea sniffing around. Whether that holds depends on how fast the offers come in.
For now, it’s a waiting game. But both clubs clearly reckon Kone’s stock isn’t going to drop anytime soon.
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