Manchester City have turned their attention to AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone as they look to add further reinforcements to their engine room in the closing stages of the summer window. With Rodri gone to Barcelona, Bernardo Silva departing and Tijjani Reijnders sold to Al-Qadsiah, Enzo Maresca has been left needing more than just fresh legs in midfield, and the France international has emerged as a serious option to provide the elite-level experience the manager is said to be craving.
Kone enhanced his stock considerably at the 2026 World Cup, featuring in five of France’s eight matches as the team went unbeaten in every game he started. That form appears to have caught City’s eye at exactly the moment Manchester United, who had also shown interest earlier in the window, cooled their pursuit after being put off by Roma’s asking price. City, flush with funds from their recent departures, look far better placed to meet those demands.
Roma have set a valuation in the region of £51 million, or roughly €55-60 million depending on the report, for the 25-year-old, who only joined the Serie A club from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2024. He remains under contract until 2029, giving the Italian side a strong negotiating position, though they are understood to be open to a sale for the right fee given their own need to balance the books under Financial Fair Play rules. Some Italian reporting suggests Roma are growing more confident of keeping hold of him, so this one is far from a formality.
Kone would arrive as a more experienced complement to Ayyoub Bouaddi, whose move from Lille is already close to being finalised, giving City both a long-term prospect and a ready-made performer to help fill the void left by Rodri. City are also believed to retain an interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, though a deadline tied to his release clause has already passed without a bid. With two weeks left before the window shuts, Hugo Viana and his recruitment team have plenty still to resol
ve.