Arsenal contact France international’s agent – Gunners consider impressive transfer

AS Roma’s Manu Kone has constantly been linked with a move to England and Arsenal are the latest club to be interested.

Some days ago, Aston Villa were mentioned as a suitor for the Frenchman and Sport Witness covered that information. The Villans were told to take advantage of Roma’s financial situation, which was forcing then to consider sales.

The midfielder will feature at the World Cup for France in what will be his first major tournament.

As his stature grows for club and country, Kone is now on Arsenal’s radar too.

Initial contact made

Corriere della Sera – via DajeRomaTV, are certain that Kone could be one of the players who can depart Roma this summer even if they qualified for the Champions League. His sale could go through by the 30th of June, which is the deadline for the Giallorossi to earn capital gains.

Arsenal are alert to his situation and have made initial contact with the midfielder’s entourage. This is seen as the first step before they make a formal move.

It was also an attempt from the Gunners to gather information and understand the feasibility of a transfer. Roma haven’t received any offers, but €40-50m could be enough.

Gian Piero Gasperini is keen on keeping the France international, although he may not have a say.

Kone can elevate Arsenal’s midfield

The 25-year-old’s strengths lie in carrying the ball forward and beating the press. He loves to progress it into the final third in a very direct manner. He is mainly a number eight but can also slot in at number six.

Midfield is one area where Mikel Arteta’s side may want signings. A player like Kone will add value and he will also take some weight off Declan Rice’s shoulders. At times, he can also step in for Martin Zubimendi, who has struggled to fully shine in Arteta’s setup.