Another name enters the frame at the Etihad
Manchester City's summer of midfield surgery may not be finished just yet. According to the Daily Mail, the club have added Roma's Manu Koné to their list of targets, with the window still open and work to do.
The 25-year-old France international has been on Manchester United's shortlist for several weeks, but City's interest threatens to turn a straightforward chase into a genuine tug-of-war. The Guardian reports that the Blues value Koné at around £50m, while Roma have been seeking roughly €60m (£51m) — a gap small enough to be closed with a decent offer.
Roma, for their part, have already fielded enquiries from several clubs. That they are still listening suggests a deal is there to be done, provided someone meets their valuation.
A midfield in transition
City's need for another body in the middle is not hard to understand. Rodri and Tijjani Reijnders have both left the Etihad this summer, leaving a significant hole in the engine room. Elliot Anderson has already been signed, and the club are working on Ayyoub Bouaddi, but the squad still looks light in that department.
Koné would bring energy and athleticism to a midfield that has lost two of its most important operators. At 25, he fits the profile of a player entering his peak years rather than a project for the future.
United's dilemma
United's interest in Koné is long-standing, but they are not sitting still. Michael Carrick is searching for another dynamic midfielder despite having already added Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos, and Sky Sports previously reported that Koné and Brighton's Carlos Baleba were both strongly considered as a third addition.
United are simultaneously advancing their pursuit of Baleba, which raises a question: do they really need both? If they land the Brighton man, Koné could be left for City to pick up.
It is a familiar feeling for United fans, watching their club circle a target only for City to stroll in late and complicate matters. Whether they hold their nerve or pivot fully to Baleba will determine how this one plays out.