United set to blow Liverpool’s transfer plan apart with sensational raid for 19-yo midfield powerhouse – report

Manchester United are reportedly “tracking” Stade de Reims starlet Amadou Kone but will face stiff competition from bitter rival Liverpool to secure the talented 19-year-old’s signature.

Pete O’Rourke (Football Insider) reveals the Red Devils are interested in Kone, who has drawn comparisons to Carlos Baleba – Brighton & Hove Albion’s midfield powerhouse who has impressed at the heart of Fabian Hürzeler’s side this season.

Kone offers many of the same outstanding attributes off the ball as Baleba, but retains his skill and progression abilities on it, forming a potent pairing of physical and technical attributes.

Ruben Amorim’s midfield unit is a disjointed one with neither Christian Eriksen nor Casemiro able to provide the physicality the United head coach’s system demands from his midfielders.

Similarly, Amorim appears unconvinced by Kobbie Mainoo as a box-to-box midfielder, often preferring to deploy the 19-year-old England international further forward.

On the flip side, Manuel Ugarte – who Amorim previously coached during their shared time at Sporting CP – offers the requisite legs and lungs in midfield his manager wants, but is limited on the ball in terms of progression.

This has led Amorim to use Bruno Fernandes as a central midfielder, despite the United captain having spent the majority of his career as a number ten and the Reds’ profound struggles in front of goal.

One potential solution to these goal-scoring woes would be to reposition Fernandes in the front line with the 30-year-old already racking up 17 goals this season, despite playing further back for most of it.

This would require additional reinforcements in midfield, however; particularly given Eriksen’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season and United remain keen to shift Casemiro in the summer, despite his recent resurgence under Amorim.

Which explains why Old Trafford scouts are keeping a close eye on Kone’s development in France with United increasingly shifting their recruiting focus to younger (and cheaper) players. The price for Kone is mooted to be around the £20 million mark.

Man United and Liverpool are tracking Stade de Reims midfielder Amadou Kone. The 19-year-old, who has been likened to Brighton’s Carlos Baleba for his style of play, is valued in the £20m price bracket. #MUFC #LFC #Reims pic.twitter.com/zGGJd7cl82

— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) April 30, 2025

Tweet: “Man United and Liverpool are tracking Stade de Reims midfielder Amadou Kone. The 19-year-old, who has been likened to Brighton’s Carlos Baleba for his style of play, is valued in the £20m price bracket.”

O’Rourke contends Liverpool are also keeping tabs on Kone, further strengthening the 19-year-old midfielder’s burgeoning reputation in European football after impressing in Ligue 1 this season.

Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images

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