Manchester United hold talks for Roma midfielder Manu Kone in £42m deal
Manchester United have held talks regarding a £42.8m move for AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone, although internal disagreements remain over the potential transfer.
The Old Trafford club have made upgrading their midfield a priority following the departure of Casemiro and a serious knee injury to Manuel Ugarte.
Despite already securing the signatures of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, manager Michael Carrick is keen to add another central player to his squad.
Internal divisions over recruitment
Director of recruitment Christopher Vivell is reportedly pushing strongly for the acquisition of the 25-year-old French international.
However, key decision-maker Jason Wilcox remains unconvinced and is currently evaluating alternative targets.
Carrick is also understood to prefer a candidate with proven Premier League experience over the Serie A standout.
Despite this lack of consensus, initial discussions have taken place with the player’s representatives.
World Cup standout available for £42m
The dynamic ball-winner enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign over the summer, helping France secure a fourth-place finish.
His current employers in the Italian capital are believed to be open to a sale if their €50m valuation is met.
The sought-after midfielder has recently drawn high praise from former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira.
“He had a really good season in Serie A with Roma,” Patrick Vieira told ITV Football.
“He is for me today the best midfielder in France.”
“I’d put him ahead of Tchouameni and Rabiot, because he has this mobility, he is aggressive, he is a ball-winner.”