Manchester United's Midfield Rebuild: Kone and the Final Piece
Manchester United’s midfield rebuild is gathering pace, but the final piece of Michael Carrick’s engine room remains deliberately, almost stubbornly, undecided.
The club’s hierarchy will spend the coming days weighing up whether to turn strong admiration for Manu Kone into a formal bid, with the Roma midfielder now one of the leading candidates to complete a three-man summer overhaul in the middle of the pitch.
United’s new midfield takes shape
United return to the Champions League next season with expectations reset. Carrick’s improved league form has given INEOS the confidence to be bold, and the plan has been clear for months: reshape the midfield so this squad can compete on multiple fronts and sustain a genuine Premier League title push.
Jason Wilcox has been at the heart of that strategy. The director of football has pushed aggressively to strengthen the centre of the pitch, with club sources briefing all year that three new midfielders were the target. Those plans were tweaked when Manuel Ugarte’s serious World Cup injury killed off the idea of selling him, but the wider picture has not changed: United want more legs, more control, more bite.
They walked away from the eye-watering numbers elsewhere in the market. Deals for Mateus Fernandes, Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson – who eventually moved for a combined £301m – were deemed excessive. United instead went for value they believed was smarter, snapping up Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for £35m.
Two midfielders in. One more to come. And this last one has a clear profile.
“They’re looking for someone defensive, physical, someone who can break the lines,” Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel, summing up United’s brief. “Manu Kone is one option, but he is not the only one.”
Romano confirmed United’s interest is real.
“There have been contacts with the player’s agents, but no bid to Roma and no club-to-club talks,” he added. “Manchester United are assessing different options. They are very happy with the signings of Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans and believe they have signed two top players for a combined fee of £85m. Now they want to choose the right third midfielder.”
Fulham’s Sander Berge is another name under serious discussion in the corridors of Old Trafford. The shortlist is tight. The decision, finally, is close.
Ederson saga ends with door slammed shut
One name is now firmly off that list.
Ederson will not be joining Manchester United. Not this summer, not later in the window, not at all.
United had struck a £35m agreement with Atalanta before the World Cup, only for the move to unravel amid late doubts and suggestions of a problem with the Brazilian’s right knee during his medical. Atalanta have always insisted there is no issue with his fitness. For a while, United sources maintained that the deal was not completely dead and hinted that a late revival remained possible.
In truth, it looked like a smokescreen as the club quietly pivoted towards alternative targets.
Romano has now drawn a hard line under the story.
“Finally, the fake story about Ederson is over,” he said. “I think it’s been quite embarrassing because many people kept denying the deal was finished and saying Manchester United could revisit it later in the summer.
“I told you Ederson was returning to Atalanta, and that’s exactly what happened.
“The deal completely collapsed, and now Ederson has signed a new contract with Atalanta.
“Manchester United will not contact Atalanta again or revisit the deal in any way.”
The Ederson chapter is closed. The search moves on.
Kone rises to the top of United’s list
Kone, by contrast, is very much in play.
Roma are not expected to block a summer move, and that simple fact has encouraged United as they refine their options. According to TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey, the club’s decision-makers have tracked Kone’s development closely over the past year, impressed by his performances both in Serie A and on the biggest stage with France.
Kone played a key role in Roma’s midfield and earned the trust of Didier Deschamps during France’s run to the World Cup semi-finals. That growth has shifted perceptions in England.
“Manu Kone was a player that United and several English clubs always appreciated, but there were some historical doubts,” Bailey explained. “Indeed, Liverpool looked long and hard at him a few summers ago, before eventually opting for other targets.
“Since then, though, he has really grown as a player, and especially since moving to Rome.
“He has been a key player for Roma, he has become a trusted player under Didier Deschamps for France. United feel he has matured, and that is appealing. Yes, he does not have Premier League experience, but they think he has everything they want and need.”
This is where the numbers start to matter. Kone is understood to be available for around £51m (€60m, $68.5m), a fee that slots neatly into United’s broader transfer strategy.
“Kone is very much one of the more serious options for their last remaining midfield slot,” Bailey said. “The fact he is available for a fee of around £51m fits in with their strategy nicely, allowing them to work their budget further for other signings.
“In fact, there will be a lot of satisfaction at United if they furnish Michael Carrick with three top new midfield signings for a combined fee of £135m, given the crazy prices floating around this summer.
“I am told United is a huge appeal to Kone, and his camp have made that known to Jason Wilcox et al.”
United now have clarity. Ederson is gone from the equation. Santos and Tielemans are through the door. The final midfield signing will define the balance of Carrick’s side for years.
Kone knows the scale of the opportunity. So do United. The only question left is whether admiration turns into a bid – and whether Old Trafford becomes the next stage for a midfielder whose rise has finally caught up with the size of his reputation.
