<\/p>\n
Manchester United<\/a> and Chelsea<\/a> are battling over a deal to sign French international defensive midfielder Manu Kon\u00e9 from AS Roma this summer, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Kon\u00e9\u2019s journey through academy football began at AC Boulogne-Billancourt in July 2015, having joined the club as a 14-year-old. His ability quickly caught Toulouse\u2019s attention, and they brought the midfielder into their youth setup just 12 months later.<\/p>\n The Frenchman went on to make 59 senior appearances for Le T\u00e9f\u00e9c\u00e9 before Borussia M\u00f6nchengladbach made his stay permanent after an impressive two-year loan spell.<\/p>\n It was in Germany that Kon\u00e9\u2019s stock really began to rise, with his performances establishing him as one of Europe\u2019s most promising midfielders before Roma secured his signature in the summer of 2024.<\/p>\n Across all competitions last season, he featured 37 times, and his consistency earned him a place in Didier Deschamps\u2019 26-man France squad for the recently concluded World Cup, where his performances attracted considerable attention.<\/p>\n Now, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport<\/em>, Kon\u00e9 looked likely to leave the Stadio Olimpico due to financial fair play concerns, putting him on the radar of several clubs.<\/p>\n Among the clubs looking to sign Kon\u00e9 are Chelsea and Man Utd, according to the Italian outlet, which claims that the Premier League<\/a> duo have expressed interest in signing the 6ft 1in midfielder.<\/p>\n Having already rebuffed a \u00a336m bid from Atletico Madrid, Roma value the French international highly and have set a \u00a342m valuation on the 25-year-old, with United and Chelsea, as well as clubs in Saudi Arabia, now set to battle for his signature, according to the report.<\/p>\n Primarily a defensive midfielder, Kon\u00e9 can also play box-to-box, and his progressive style, combined with the ground he covers through sheer athleticism, would add more intensity to either Michael Carrick\u2019s or Xabi Alonso\u2019s midfield.<\/p>\nBattle<\/h2>\n
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