Midfielder likened to Luka Modric is totally willing to join United, Ineos now expected to submit bid – report

Manchester United are battling with Chelsea for the signing of AS Roma midfield lynchpin, Manu Kone. France are certainly disappointed after failing to beat Spain in the World Cup. However, Kone’s reputation has skyrocketed on the back of an impressive run in his country’s journey to the semi-finals. The 25-year-old featured in five fixtures under Didier Deschamps and impressed with his composure and ball-carrying ability. He also did an exceptional job of shielding Les Bleus’ backline in the absence of Aurelien Tchouameni. Manchester United expected to submit bid for Manu Kone With the World Cup dream now over for Manu Kone, his suitors are considering testing AS Roma’s resolve.  Friday’s edition of Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness) suggests that Manchester United and Chelsea could make advances to sign Kone following initial approaches. It is understood that United have approached the 25-year-old Frenchman’s camp and “found out his total willingness for the transfer” even though his dream is to join Paris Saint-Germain. The Ligue 1 champions are blessed with several elite midfielders and are not thought to be looking for a new name in the middle of the park. Chelsea, meanwhile, have allegedly explored the possibility of signing Kone during their talks with Roma concerning Alejandro Garnacho’s potential transfer. The Italian publication claims that the Premier League duo are “expected to submit offers in the coming days.” It is not clarified how much they are willing to pay, but the Giallorossi are reportedly expecting to fetch around €55-60m. Manchester United leading race to sign Roma’s very own Luka Modric Totalfootballanalysis describe Kone as a midfield “tempo-setter” in the “same ilk as Toni Kroos or Luka Modric.” However, the 6’1″ France international’s standout quality is his athleticism. Manu Kone Serie A stats: 2025/26 Season Appearances29 Minutes per game85 Touches61.4 Key passes0.9 Accurate passes42.7 Interceptions 0.6 Tackles 1.7 Source: Sofascore Recently, Fabrizio Romano revealed that United are in the market for defensive midfielders to complement the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans, who would need a powerful runner alongside them to really make a difference for the Red Devils. The Italian journalist believes United have made a call to Kone’s agents. Meanwhile, yesterday, Gazzetta dello Sport reported that the Mancunians are in pole position to sign the Toulouse youth product despite interest from Chelsea. Featured image Paolo Bruno 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 Vishal Singh Vishal has worked in the football media industry for over six years, planning, writing, and editing content for several major outlets, including North Star Network. Vishal has a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Delhi University. Currently a writer at The Peoples Person, he covers Manchester United — a club he has been religiously following and supporting since 2012. Vishal also manages a leading MUFC fan page, The Red Devils, on Facebook with over a million likes. Big fan of ball-playing centre-backs and Harry Maguire’s knee-slide celebration!