Manchester United’s pursuit of AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone has received a seal of approval from former Watford striker Troy Deeney. The Red Devils are looking to add more steel to the middle of the park ahead of the new season, when they will be without Casemiro.
Signing an able replacement for the Brazilian will be crucial to United’s pursuit of excellence next season. Having already added Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to their squad, the Red Devils are now looking to sign a defensive midfielder next.
Michael Carrick would ideally like someone who can fit in well alongside Kobbie Mainoo and allow the young maestro to weave his magic. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that Kone has been identified among the options for the job.
It has also been suggested that the Premier League giants have reached an agreement to take the Frenchman to Old Trafford this summer. Deeney has now shared his opinion on the matter.
Kone tipped to excel at United
Speaking on talkSPORT, Deeney pointed out that Kone is very underrated. He said: “I can’t believe the likes of Spurs didn’t look at Manu Kone, centre midfielder for Roma, obviously played for France as well.”
“25 years of age, played 45 games two years ago, played 37 games last year, so he’s durable. He’s playing in the French national team over lads like Camavinga who got left behind, and you can probably get it for about 60 million pounds.”
“Now, when you look at what Spurs paid for Fernandes, who has been relegated twice, I think it’s a bargain. I would love Man United to sign him.”
Kone appeared five times at the 2026 FIFA World Cup as France finished fourth.
Manu Kone Stats: 2026 FIFA World Cup
| Matchday | Date | Opponent | Result | Position | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards | Minutes Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group I | 17/06/26 | Senegal | 3–1 | On the bench | - | - | - | - | - |
| Group I | 23/06/26 | Iraq | 3–0 | DM | - | - | - | - | 90' |
| Group I | 27/06/26 | Norway | 4–1 | CM | - | - | - | - | 90' |
| Round of 32 | 01/07/26 | Sweden | 3–0 | On the bench | - | - | - | - | - |
| Round of 16 | 05/07/26 | Paraguay | 1–0 | CM | - | - | 1 | - | 81' |
| Quarter-Finals | 10/07/26 | Morocco | 2–0 | DM | - | - | - | - | 71' |
| Semi-Finals | 15/07/26 | Spain | 0–2 | CM | - | - | - | - | 45' |
| Third Place Play-Off | 19/07/26 | England | 6–4 | On the bench | - | - | - | - | - |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Better than Declan Rice?
Deeney went on to suggest that Kone could even turn out to be better than Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice. He added: “I think he’s very, very talented. I think he’s got the attributes to shine in the Premier League, not only the physical element; tactically he’s aware and breaks the lines with the runs as well.”
“Other than City and Arsenal, I think he would impact every other midfield in the Premier League. He’s got very Declan Rice attributes; he’s got a very big engine, running hard, but I think he may be a little bit tactically smarter than Declan as well.”
Kone is under contract with the Serie A giants until 2029.
Final Thoughts
Kone has all the attributes to become a mainstay in midfield for United and could turn out to be an excellent partner for Mainoo as well. The only concern should be the Frenchman’s lack of Premier League experience, which does add a degree of risk to the move.
Featured image Paolo Bruno via Getty Images
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