World Cup sensation’s price hiked again, United remain in pole but Liverpool, Arsenal ready to hijack – report

Manchester United’s midfield revamp has so far seen the club sign two Premier League-proven players so far. Andrey Santos was signed for an initial £48 million from Chelsea, a price that has delighted INEOS. Swiftly afterwards, the Red Devils pulled off a sensational deal for Youri Tielemans. Both the Brazilian and Belgian midfielders are versatile and capable of operating as defensive midfielders or as part of a double pivot. The third signing is expected to be someone with physical prowess who is capable of covering large areas of the pitch, while excelling in shielding the back four. Manu Kone has emerged as United’s third midfield option Carlos Baleba is an option liked by the 20-time English league champions, but Brighton & Hove Albion’s asking price remains an issue. This has forced United to look beyond the English top flight, with AS Roma’s Manu Kone emerging as a top target. The Frenchman’s imperious displays at the World Cup have seen his stock rise further, with the Giallorossi now hiking his price to £51 million from £43 million. This is the second time this has happened in the span of a couple of weeks. They have been emboldened by the presence of several English teams in the race, with Corriere dello Sport journalist Eleonora Trotta revealing that Liverpool and Arsenal have also asked for information about the 25-year-old. Manu Kone price hiked again “Roma are working to secure a transfer for Manu Kone, with the player already instructing his French-based representatives to explore potential opportunities. “His agents have been in contact with several clubs as they look to find him a move that represents a step up in his career while also improving his salary. “Among the clubs that have made enquiries are Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Arsenal. While none has emerged as a clear frontrunner, Kone remains firmly on the shortlist of players being closely monitored by several Premier League sides. “Manchester United are believed to have made the most progress so far, although it remains to be seen whether the other interested clubs will step up their pursuit. Roma, for their part, are prepared to negotiate a sale but only on their own terms. The club has no intention of letting Kone leave at a cut-price fee and will only sanction a transfer if their valuation is met.” Liverpool, Arsenal join the race for Manu Kone It was made clear by The Peoples Person that United are unlikely to spend big on their third midfield signing, which gave credence to reports of a potential move for Sander Berge. But player sales could potentially open the door to a move for Manu Kone. Whether Roma are just using United’s rivals to seek a better price and whether that elicits a response from INEOS will be interesting to see. Feature image Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25