Roma Prepare for Koné Bids as Manchester United Shows Interest
The World Cup has barely faded from memory, but in Rome the focus has already snapped back to the market. Roma know what’s coming. Manu Koné is expected to draw serious offers, and Manchester United are at the front of the queue.
Inside Trigoria, the mood is pragmatic. The club are not caught off guard; they are preparing for a sale and quietly sketching out the next midfield blueprint.
Koné, the big chip on the table
Roma have set a clear price: €55–60 million for Koné. On the balance sheet he sits at €12 million, so any deal at those figures would represent a huge capital gain and a crucial financial lever for the Giallorossi.
That kind of upside explains why they are listening.
Manchester United have him high on their list, tracking him in the same bracket as Eduardo Camavinga and Alex Scott as they look to reshape their midfield. Chelsea are in the conversation too, testing the ground and weighing their own rebuild. Both English clubs know the numbers. Both know Roma are open, at the right price.
Gasperini’s admission and a delayed deadline
Gian Piero Gasperini has already laid out the financial reality. He recently admitted that Roma will likely have to sacrifice a key player to balance the books. The original deadline for that move has been pushed back by a month, to July 31, but the obligation hasn’t gone away. It’s only been delayed.
Roma’s ideal scenario would be different. They would rather cash in on Matias Soulé. The Argentine remains their preferred asset to move, but the market has not responded as hoped. Concrete offers have been thin, and one major proposal from Saudi Arabia was turned down by the player himself.
With Soulé holding his ground and the calendar ticking toward the end of July, Koné inevitably moves closer to the spotlight.
BlueCo targets and a Juventus sting
Roma are not waiting passively for the Premier League to knock. They are already probing possible replacements, with a particular eye on players under the BlueCo umbrella.
Frank Kessié and Khephren Thuram are firmly on their radar. Both profiles would add power and presence in midfield, and both are being studied as potential responses to a stinging blow from a domestic rival.
Juventus swooped in late to snatch Zeki Celik, forcing Roma to rethink on the fly. Celik himself could now be allowed to leave for around €40 million, another possible source of funds in a summer where every outgoing deal has a purpose.
The reaction inside Roma has been to widen the net rather than panic.
Engels and Danilo Santos on the list
Beyond the BlueCo sphere, Roma have identified two more serious candidates.
Celtic’s Arne Engels has been shortlisted, with a valuation in the €20–25 million range. At that price, he represents a more economical, development-friendly option, someone who could grow into a larger role rather than arrive as an instant star.
Then there is Danilo Santos of Botafogo, a player whose stock rose as part of Brazil’s World Cup squad. His price is steeper — roughly €30–35 million — but he brings international pedigree and the kind of physical and technical blend that Serie A clubs covet.
Names, numbers, scenarios. Roma have them all mapped out.
What they do next depends on one thing: who writes the biggest cheque for Manu Koné before July 31.
