Chelsea have now opened club-to-club talks to sign AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone, as a potential replacement for Enzo Fernandez.
Fernandez’s future has been one of the sagas of the summer, with Manchester City keen to sign the Argentine on deadline day, in a deal that is likely to cost around £120m, which would make him the third-most expensive player in Premier League history.
|
Ranking |
Premier League record signings |
Club |
Fee |
|
1. |
Alexander Isak |
Liverpool |
£124.3m |
|
2. |
Bradley Barcola |
Liverpool |
£121m |
|
3. |
Morgan Rogers |
Chelsea |
£117m |
|
4. |
Elliot Anderson |
Man City |
£116m |
|
5. |
Florian Wirtz |
Liverpool |
£115m |
Should the central midfielder depart, the Blues will have to bring in a late replacement, and Kone could be a solid option, having received rave reviews from Como scout Ben Mattinson after finishing his first season at Roma last summer.
Mattinson said: “Manu Kone for only €18m was one of the deals of the summer. So composed and press resistant, tempo setter with game-breaking ball carrying.”
The Frenchman went on to have a successful second campaign in Italy, picking up two goals and three assists in 29 Serie A matches, and he earned a call-up to Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad, where he put in a very impressive performance against Morocco in the quarter-final.
With the midfielder now tried and tested in Italy and performing well at international level, a move to a club that will have aspirations of winning the Premier League title may be the next logical step, and the Blues are stepping up their pursuit.
Chelsea now in club-to-club talks to sign Manu Kone
According to a report from Foot Mercato (via Get French Football News), Chelsea have now launched official contact to sign Kone, with club-to-club negotiations currently taking place.
The Italian side are thought to be demanding around £50m for the France international, which should be an affordable fee for Xabi Alonso’s side, with Fernandez’s sale set to raise significant funds.
The latest on Man City’s pursuit of Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez
Until now, Man City haven’t engaged in talks with Chelsea regarding a deal for Fernandez, but they have now made an official approach, with negotiations ongoing.
The former Benfica man is known to be keen on a move to the Etihad Stadium, but City have been reluctant to fork out the full £120m asking price thus far, having already spent £116m on Elliot Anderson this summer.
However, they will need to move swiftly to get a deal done, as Chelsea are only prepared to sanction a sale if the money is right.