Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford could play a key role in the club’s pursuit of Manu Kone. The Red Devils have already invested in the midfield to offset Casemiro’s departure this summer.
INEOS signed Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa to strengthen a midfield that is likely to be without Manuel Ugarte for a while. The Uruguayan, who was previously linked with an exit this summer, suffered an ACL injury at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With United also competing in the Champions League next season, they are considering further additions to the midfield. The Red Devils were heavily linked with Atalanta’s Ederson at the beginning of the summer but performed a late U-turn to end their pursuit.
However, recent reports suggest that they have identified Kone as a candidate to add more steel to their midfield. Prising the Frenchman away from AS Roma, however, could prove to be a complicated affair.
United reluctant to match Kone’s price tag
According to The Telegraph, the United hierarchy are not entirely convinced by a move for Kone. It is believed that the board are sceptical about matching Roma’s €60 million asking price for the Frenchman.
Kone was excellent for the Serie A club last season and topped that up with a solid outing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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.
The 25 year old would bring steel, aggression and press resistance to the middle of the park, making him a fine option for the Red Devils. And it now appears that the Premier League giants could have a trick up their sleeves to secure his signature.
Rashford could be used to secure Kone
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, United could use Rashford to get a deal across the line. The report states: “They will try to bring the figure down, although Roma have no intention of offering any discounts, particularly in light of the exorbitant demands they are facing in the transfer market.”
“One key could be the inclusion of Marcus Rashford, a left-winger who would certainly be useful to Gasperini.”
However, the report notes that the Englishman’s exorbitant wages could pose a problem, concluding: “The problem in this case is the Englishman’s astronomical salary: around 11 million net per season. A loan deal would therefore be needed, with a large portion of his wages paid by United. This seems rather unlikely.”
Rashford spent last season on loan at Barcelona and was expected to move permanently to Camp Nou this summer. However, the Catalans have since signed Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, effectively ruling out a move for the 28 year old.
Final Thoughts
United remain keen to offload Rashford this summer, but all signs indicate that he could end up staying at Old Trafford. While the Red Devils could be tempted to use the Englishman to secure Kone’s signature, the finances involved make this deal next to impossible.
Feature image Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images
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Deepungsu Pandit
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.
