Manchester United’s chaotic summer midfield shopping spree might finally be hitting a groove, and Roma’s willingness to sell Manu Kone is the latest piece to fall into place.
Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini openly acknowledged this week that the club’s financial situation could force a sale of the France international. That’s music to the ears of United, who have already made inquiries about the 25-year-old. Kone is available for around €55 million, which works out to roughly £47 million.
“I think these Financial Fair Play conditions are never so precise and defined. They vary from team to team,” Gasperini said in translated comments picked up by Sport Witness. “Roma also need to balance the books, which have been burdensome in recent years. I hoped that returning to the Champions League would be enough, but it’s clear that financial statements are crucial for clubs.”
Kone’s situation is a little different from some of Roma’s other assets. Gasperini noted that unlike Donyell Malen, Kone was sidelined for a stretch with injury and then showed up at the World Cup in better shape than expected. He earned a starting spot for France, which Gasperini says reflects his real value.
United have had a messy go of it trying to strengthen their midfield this offseason. They missed on Elliot Anderson, who joined Manchester City. Mateus Fernandes went to Tottenham. They actually agreed to a deal with Atalanta for Ederson, but the Brazilian failed his medical. That move is off for now, though journalist Ben Jacobs reported that United haven’t completely ruled out revisiting the Ederson deal later this summer, just not on the same terms.
Still, United finally got a win by landing Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £48 million plus add-ons. They also triggered Youri Tielemans’ £35 million release clause at Aston Villa, a move that caught plenty of people off guard.
Now Kone is one of several names on their radar alongside Wolves’ Joao Gomes, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. But Kone could be the most straightforward target if Roma are indeed determined to sell.
The one potential hiccup? Liverpool might be sniffing around too. Reports from The Kopite View claim the Reds are actually leading the race for Kone. That’s not confirmed, and it’s worth noting the source leans heavily in Liverpool’s direction. But it’s enough to keep United from getting comfortable.
As for Ederson, Jacobs clarified that United’s doctors flagged a knee issue during initial tests. The player flew to England for more examinations. While United ultimately decided not to proceed, they got both the Santos and Tielemans deals done quickly in the meantime. But Santos is not viewed as a direct replacement for the Atalanta man. The door is cracked open, not swung wide.
Gasperini’s comments basically confirm what Italian media have been saying for weeks: Roma need to move a major piece to clean up the books. Kone is that piece. Now it’s up to United to decide if they want to be the ones to take him off Roma’s hands.
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