Manchester United’s plans to revamp their midfield have so far seen them sign two Premier League-proven performers.
Andrey Santos impressed on his debut against Wrexham, while Youri Tielemans had a stellar World Cup for Belgium.
INEOS wanted their third addition to also come from the English top flight but a move for Carlos Baleba depends on Brighton & Hove Albion’s asking price, while Bournemouth are playing hardball over Alex Scott.
With funds tight, United could opt to sign a low-cost alternative from outside England, with Manu Kone emerging as a leading target.
United delaying their bid for Manu Kone
AS Roma have been steadily raising the Frenchman’s asking price due to his World Cup displays, as a result of which, the Red Devils have yet to submit an offer.
This dilly-dallying could potentially allow United’s fiercest rivals Liverpool to hijack the move, if Football Insider are to be believed.
“Liverpool are prepared to join rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Roma star Manu Kone, sources have told Football Insider.
“Alongside their rivals, Andoni Iraola’s side had scouts keeping tabs on the 25-year-old’s performances at the World Cup, where he featured for the fourth-placed France side.
Liverpool ready to take advantage
“Man United have been keeping a close eye on the midfielder’s situation, but sources say that is as far as their interest has gone, and Liverpool could pip them to a deal.”
Manu Kone Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serie A | 29 | 28 | 2 | 3 | 2 | - | 2,459' |
| UEFA Europa League | 7 | 5 | - | - | 1 | - | 266' |
| Italy Cup | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 33' |
| Total | 37 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | 2,758' |
25/26 season stats
The Old Trafford side have already been on the wrong side of a hijack, with Tottenham Hotspur stealing Mateus Fernandes away from them at the last second. Hopefully, they can avoid a similar scenario this time around.
The Serie A side are reluctantly open to a sale and will be hoping to earn close to £50 million from the 25-year-old’s sale.
The only way United can hasten proceedings is if they greenlight the sales of stars such as Marcus Rashford, Lisandro Martinez, and Noussair Mazraoui, not to mention several academy stars.
The 20-time English league champions also have the likes of Nicolas Raskin and Sander Berge on their radar, and both will cost considerably less. It will be interesting to see how INEOS conclude their revamp with Michael Carrick desperate for more quality.
Feature image Paolo Bruno via Getty Images
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