Manchester United eye cut-price Manu Koné deal to save £35m on Tchouaméni alternative

Manchester United are weighing a move for Roma midfielder Manu Koné as a £35m-cheaper alternative to Real Madrid’s Aurélien Tchouaméni, with the French international emerging as a serious target in the club’s ongoing midfield rebuild.

Casemiro’s impending departure — which the Brazilian made public at the turn of the year — triggered United’s search for a successor. The club has since signed Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, but a deeper-lying midfielder remains on the agenda. Tchouaméni had been the preferred target for many supporters, yet Real Madrid’s firm reluctance to sell has effectively closed that door.

Koné, 25, shares a France dressing room with Tchouaméni and caught the eye at the World Cup, starting every fixture except the round-of-32 win over Sweden and the semi-final defeat to Spain — a game he entered at half-time. His display in the quarter-final against Morocco drew particular attention from top clubs across Europe.

Football Italia editor Lorenzo Bettoni, who spoke to the Manchester Evening News about Koné’s profile, argued the comparison with Tchouaméni is less straightforward than it appears. “When we talk about Tchouaméni, we’re talking about a player who’s been at the very highest level of world football, playing in the Champions League, playing big games to win the title,” Bettoni said. “You would assume that Tchouaméni is a better option. But then Didier Deschamps sees them close to each other, training together.”

Bettoni pointed to Koné’s consistent improvement throughout the Serie A season as the reason Deschamps trusted him on the biggest stage. “The improvement from Koné has been steady this season, and it got to the end of the Serie A campaign and he was in very good shape. So, if we look at the stats of the two players, I would say surprising, but if you look at the performances, it is not.”

The Football Italia editor also pushed back against the perception that Serie A produces inferior talent. “There are talents, but sometimes you tend to believe that the others playing abroad are better — Koné is an example,” Bettoni added. “It’s funny, sometimes people realise later how strong certain players are.”

Bettoni believes Koné would be ready to step straight into a starting role at Old Trafford, a factor that could prove decisive as United look to finalise their summer business before the new campaign begins.