Roma's Negotiations: Rashford and Kone Transfer Dilemmas
The transfer market has a habit of throwing up glamorous names in unglamorous negotiations, and this time it is Marcus Rashford’s turn to be dragged into the numbers game.
In Italy, reports claim Rashford’s name surfaced during talks between Roma and Manchester United over a possible deal for Manu Kone. The idea is simple on paper: United like Kone, Roma might have to sell, and a high-profile forward could, in theory, help bridge the gap. The reality looks far more complicated.
United cool on €60m Kone price
Kone’s stock has risen sharply after an impressive 2026 World Cup with France, and Roma know it. The midfielder is viewed as one of their most valuable assets at a time when the club are still working under the shadow of Financial Fair Play. A summer sale could bring in around €60m, according to the latest indications from La Gazzetta dello Sport, and that kind of fee would go a long way toward balancing the books.
United are in the conversation. They are among the clubs exploring a move for Kone, but the enthusiasm in Manchester is not unanimous. At €60m, the deal is seen as steep, and the club’s hierarchy is split on whether he represents value at that price. The expectation is that United will keep pushing, testing Roma’s resolve and trying to drive the fee down rather than simply accepting the initial figure.
That is where Rashford’s name has been floated.
Rashford as a makeweight? The numbers say no
La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that United could look to include Rashford in the talks, at least as a theoretical option on the table. On the surface, it sounds dramatic: one of England’s biggest stars potentially heading to Serie A as part of a midfield rebuild at Old Trafford.
Scratch beneath the surface and the obstacles pile up quickly.
Rashford’s contract is the first and biggest problem. His net salary is reported at around €10m per season, with bonuses of roughly €2.5m. In Serie A, that would make him the highest-paid player in the league by a clear margin. For Roma, who are already weighing up sales to stay within FFP limits, taking on that kind of wage is a leap into another financial universe.
The structure of any hypothetical deal adds another layer. Roma are said to be considering only an initial loan if they were to move for Rashford, not a permanent transfer. That would mean United still paying a significant portion of his salary while also surrendering a major attacking asset. From Old Trafford’s perspective, that scenario looks highly unlikely.
So the idea lingers more as a talking point than a concrete possibility: Rashford’s name used as a reference in negotiations, a big card on the table that neither side can realistically afford to play.
Roma’s real decision, for now, sits with Kone. Do they cash in on a World Cup-boosted asset to satisfy the accountants, or hold their nerve and risk losing a prime sale in a volatile market, knowing that United and others will not pay any price they name?
