After Aurélien Tshuameni had long sought to strengthen his midfield, Manchester United were forced to reconsider their plans. Although the Frenchman seemed to be a priority for the Red Devils, the Real Madrid midfielder eventually decided to continue his adventure in the Spanish capital with a new contract that will keep him at the Merengues until 2031. The English club’s case was closed and it quickly moved on to another French prospect: Manu Kone. The architect of a remarkable 2026 World Cup with France, the Roma midfielder has now emerged as a high-profile target in the Mancunian transfer window.
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The need for Manchester United is real. Following Casemiro’s free departure, despite a particularly successful last season on an individual level, the Red Devils are looking to revamp their midfield and bring more power, influence and performance to that sector. The English club, led by Michael Carrick, have already started to change their environment with the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and Andrei Santos, but still want to add a profile capable of leading to duels in the Premier League. And Manu Kone’s name now appears as one of the most serious options being explored by Mancunian management according to Corriere dello Sport.
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Manu Kone must leave Rome
As for Roma, the economic situation could also speed up negotiations. Recently answering a question about the future of his player, Gian Piero Gasperini did not close the door to the Frenchman’s departure, recalling that financial restrictions weigh heavily on clubs. “Financial fair play rules have never been so precise and defined, they vary from one club to another. But Roma also need to clean up their books, which have been difficult in recent years. I had hoped that returning to the Champions League would be enough, but it is clear that finances are fundamental for clubs.”– explained the Italian coach. A statement that confirms that, despite his sporting importance, Kone could represent a major financial opportunity for the Giallorossi.
Because the former Toulouse and Borussia Mönchengladbach player is leaving the World Cup, which has significantly strengthened his value. Having arrived in the status of an understudy for the pair Adrien Rabiot-Aurélien Tchouameni, Manu Kone took advantage of the circumstances to gradually establish himself in Didier Deschamps’ group. His confident performances in competitions confirmed the change in his inner scale. Progress that Gasperini also emphasized: “He was yet to play for France last year and was able to earn a place in the starting line-up, which shows his full value.” Manchester United are therefore keeping an eye on a player at the height of their confidence, but will have to convince Roma, who are aware of their midfielder’s new rating.
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La Louv shows herself to be ambitious
The issue of price will obviously be at the center of the negotiations. However, according to Italian media reports, Roma have no intention of selling their player and are now hoping to return an amount significantly higher than the amounts mentioned a few months ago. Although a transfer of around 35 million euros was mentioned this winter, with Inter Milan interested in particular, the situation changed after the World Cup. Atlético Madrid’s offer of €40 million would even be rejected, with Roma now waiting between €50 million and €60 million to agree to leave.
For the Roman club, selling Manu Kone would be an opportunity for a major financial deal. Arriving in the Italian capital with a book value much less than its current price, his transfer could generate a capital gain of over €40 million and provide management with significant room to manoeuvre. However, Manchester United are not alone: Chelsea are also closely monitoring the issue. So the series is set to begin only after the end of the World Cup, but one thing is already certain: Manu Kone has emerged as one of the most coveted midfielders of this summer transfer window. To be continued…
Pub. and 07/18/2026 at 19:11
– Updated 07/19/2026 00:42