Roma set £47m floor for Kone as United and Arsenal chase same midfielder

Roma have set an immovable €55m (£47m) asking price for midfielder Manu Kone, according to Corriere dello Sport, with Manchester United and Arsenal both tracking the France international ahead of the new Premier League season.

Italian outlet Corriere della Sera reported in mid-June that Arsenal had already held talks with Kone’s representatives and agreed personal terms with the 25-year-old following the World Cup. Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan have also registered interest in the former Borussia Mönchengladbach player, underlining the level of competition United face if they pursue a deal.

Roma sporting director Tony D’Amico is navigating a complex summer transfer strategy that relies heavily on capital gains to satisfy Financial Fair Play requirements, which explains the club’s firm stance on the asking price. Corriere dello Sport adds that even a bid of €50m (£42.5m) would be rejected outright.

The urgency at Old Trafford has been sharpened by a series of midfield setbacks. Casemiro has departed, Manuel Ugarte is facing an extended spell on the sidelines through injury, and Kobbie Mainoo remains at the World Cup with England. United could therefore begin their pre-season fixture against Wrexham in Helsinki on 18 July with Mason Mount as the only recognised senior midfielder available to manager Michael Carrick.

The club are edging closer to a £48m deal for Chelsea midfielder Andrey Santos, but a separate move for Atalanta’s Ederson has stalled. A £38m fee was agreed with the Serie A club in early June, yet multiple reports on Friday evening claimed the Brazil international failed a medical at Old Trafford. The Manchester Evening News understands United do not consider the deal to be dead.

United’s midfield recruitment has been troubled throughout the window. A move for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest was abandoned when the asking price exceeded £110m, and a subsequent approach for West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes ended when the Portuguese midfielder chose Tottenham Hotspur instead.

Kone is currently preparing for France’s World Cup semi-final against Spain, with greater clarity over his future expected once the tournament concludes on 19 July.