Key Points
- Liverpool have entered the race to sign Roma’s 25‑year‑old France midfielder Manu Koné, joining Manchester United in pursuing the player in the 2026 summer transfer window.
- The interest from both clubs follows Koné’s strong performances for Roma and his appearances for France at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
- AS Roma have increased Koné’s asking price to around €60m (approximately £51m), having previously considered lower valuations, putting financial pressure on interested Premier League clubs.
- Reports in Italy and England indicate Roma have already rejected at least one formal bid from Atletico Madrid in the region of €40m for Koné.
- Manchester United are described as having monitored Koné closely and included him on a midfield shortlist, but are yet to submit a formal offer amid Roma’s rising valuation.
- Liverpool are said to be “prepared to join” Manchester United in the race and could attempt to “hijack” the move if United’s hesitation continues, according to Football Insider‑sourced reporting.
- Italian outlets suggest pressure from Premier League clubs has intensified in recent days, tilting the balance at Roma “toward a sale” if their valuation is met.
- Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has publicly admitted the club may have to sell Koné to balance the books, signalling a potential openness to negotiations this summer.
- Koné’s contract with Roma reportedly runs until June 2029, strengthening the Italian club’s bargaining position in talks with interested teams.
- The situation leaves Manchester United, Liverpool and other suitors such as Arsenal and Chelsea in a competitive market for a versatile, World Cup‑proven central midfielder.
Manchester United (Manchester Mirror) July 20, 2026 – Manchester United and Liverpool competing for Roma midfielder Manu Koné in the 2026 summer transfer window. Interest in Manu Koné from England has intensified since the midfielder’s performances for France at the 2026 World Cup, where he is reported to have started four matches and enhanced his reputation on the international stage. As noted by Francesco Balzani of La Gazzetta dello Sport, and relayed by Liverpool‑focused outlet This Is Anfield, the player’s World Cup outings in North America have contributed to Roma revisiting his valuation and attracted “pressure from the Premier League” over his future.
As reported by the BBC Sport football gossip column, citing Football Insider, Liverpool are “prepared to join Manchester United in the race for Roma’s 25‑year‑old France midfielder Manu Koné.” In a separate BBC Sport gossip entry, referencing Corriere dello Sport, Roma are described as having rejected a €40m offer from Atletico Madrid for Koné, with Manchester United named as a target club and Liverpool also identified as “interested.”
Manchester United’s pursuit and strategy
According to reporting reproduced by The Peoples Person and drawing on Italian sources, Manchester United have been “keeping a close eye” on Koné’s situation but have not yet submitted a formal bid, in part due to Roma’s evolving price expectations. The Peoples Person cites indications that Roma initially sought around £47m to sanction a uk/local/sale/">sale, but subsequent reports from Eleonora Trotta and others in Italy suggest the valuation has climbed toward £51m.
As covered by Stretty News, Roma have “raised their asking price for Manu Koné to £51 million – up from £43 million just weeks ago – as Liverpool and Arsenal have both made enquiries for the 25‑year‑old, complicating Manchester United’s pursuit of their third midfield signing.” Stretty News attributes the escalation to reporting by Corriere dello Sport journalist Eleonora Trotta, who has stated that Koné’s representatives have been in contact with several Premier League clubs as the player assesses his options.
This Is Anfield, summarising Italian coverage by Balzani, notes that “the team most interested is Manchester United, who have included Koné on a shortlist along with Eduardo Camavinga and Alex Scott,” but also points out that no club has yet emerged as a clear frontrunner and that United’s interest remains at the monitoring and planning stage. This combination of admiration and caution is reflected in United’s apparent reluctance to meet Roma’s current valuation without further negotiation.
Liverpool’s bid to join and potentially hijack the race
Football Insider’s reporting, as cited by BBC Sport’s gossip column, underpins the claim that “Liverpool are prepared to join rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Roma star Manu Koné.” The Peoples Person, referencing Football Insider, frames the situation as one where “Liverpool are sensing a glorious chance to hijack the deal” because Manchester United “are yet to submit an offer for top target Manu Koné,” with Roma steadily raising the asking price after his World Cup displays.
Liverpool‑oriented platform This Is Anfield recalls that the French midfielder was first linked with a move to Anfield around three years ago and states that he is “again being mentioned as a potential transfer target for the Reds” as they consider further changes in midfield. The outlet, summarising Italian reporting, adds that Roma have set a “precise price” of €60m (£51m) and that a “clear message” about Koné’s availability and valuation has been passed to agents and intermediaries in the Premier League, including Liverpool.
Further detail on Liverpool’s stance appears via YSscores, which, citing TEAMtalk, reports that Liverpool have “rekindled” their interest after Koné’s impressive performances at Roma and in the World Cup, and that the club “is now ready to make a strong push for the transfer.” YSscores adds that Manchester United made initial enquiries about Koné following the collapse of a deal for Atalanta midfielder Éderson, suggesting that Liverpool’s move comes in the context of United looking elsewhere and leaving an opening.
Roma’s valuation, contract and financial position
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, as summarised by Get Italian Football News, has reported that Roma were “not willing to listen to offers for Koné under €50 million” until recently, but that this figure has now risen to €60m, with the potential for further increase depending on World Cup‑related developments. Get Italian Football News notes that this rising valuation makes a move to Atletico Madrid “ever less likely” and simultaneously renders a Premier League transfer more plausible, with Manchester United and Liverpool both keen on midfield reinforcements.
This Is Anfield, leaning on Italian reporting, states that Roma have already turned down an offer of around £34m, matching earlier suggestions of a lower threshold before the asking price hardened at €60m. Stretty News likewise describes a pattern of price hikes and emphasises that Roma “have made it clear they are prepared to negotiate a sale only on their own terms and will only sanction a transfer if their valuation is met.”
Get Italian Football News also highlights that Koné’s contract at Roma runs until June 2029, with a reported gross annual salary of €5.19m, giving the club a strong contractual foundation in talks and allowing them to resist below‑market offers. In a separate line of reporting relayed by The Peoples Person, Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini is quoted as admitting that the club may be “forced to let Koné go” in order to balance the books, indicating that financial considerations could ultimately encourage a sale if a suitable bid arrives.
Other interested clubs and wider market context
Multiple outlets suggest that Koné’s performances and age profile have attracted attention beyond Manchester United and Liverpool. This Is Anfield refers to interest from “several clubs,” with the Frenchman reportedly on shortlists and scouting reports across Europe. Stretty News lists Chelsea and Arsenal among the Premier League teams tracking the player, noting that “none of the suitors – United, Chelsea, Liverpool, or Arsenal – has yet emerged as a clear frontrunner.”
Football Insider coverage of a separate, younger player named Amadou Koné at Stade de Reims has also described Liverpool and Manchester United contesting a midfield signing, but this refers to a different individual and underlines both clubs’ broader focus on young midfielders. In the case of Roma’s Manu Koné, however, the primary cluster of English interest appears centred on United and Liverpool, with Arsenal and Chelsea monitoring developments as Roma’s stance and the player’s price become clearer.
Player profile and performances
Reports in TEAMtalk, summarised by YSscores, describe Koné as a versatile midfielder, capable of operating in various roles across the centre of the pitch, and note an estimated market value of around €55m, placing him among the leading targets in this summer’s transfer window. Get Italian Football News and Italian sources referenced by This Is Anfield and Stretty News emphasise his physical presence, tactical intelligence and contributions in Serie A and on the international stage.
This Is Anfield highlights that Koné started four times for France at the 2026 World Cup, reinforcing his profile as a player trusted at the highest level and capable of handling tournament pressure. Roma’s willingness to raise his price and their reluctance to accept bids below €50–60m are connected to these performances and his importance to their current squad. For both Manchester United and Liverpool, the combination of age, contract length and international experience makes Koné a potentially long‑term solution in midfield rather than a short‑term fix.
Background of the transfer development
As reported by BBC Sport’s football gossip column, citing Football Insider and Corriere dello Sport, the current situation around Manu Koné stems from a sequence of events involving earlier interest and bids from clubs outside England. Atletico Madrid’s rejected €40m offer, detailed in Italian coverage and relayed by the BBC, represents a key moment at which Roma signalled their intention to command a higher fee.
Italian newspapers, including Corriere dello Sport and La Gazzetta dello Sport, have tracked Koné’s progress at Roma and the 2026 World Cup, noting that his performances have encouraged Roma to reconsider his market value and adjust their transfer strategy. The growing pressure “from the Premier League,” as summarised by Francesco Balzani and carried by This Is Anfield, reflects several English clubs exploring midfield options following changes in their own squads and tactical plans.
For Manchester United, reports suggest that initial enquiries about Koné followed difficulties in closing a deal for Atalanta’s Éderson, leaving the club looking again at alternatives. For Liverpool, repeated links going back three years show a long‑standing awareness of the player, with renewed interest now coinciding with potential turnover in Jürgen Klopp’s midfield options. Together, these strands set the
