From Italy: Arsenal make approach over potential €50m Manu Kone transfer | OneFootball

Arsenal are reportedly interested in Roma midfielder Manu Kone and have made initial contact to explore a transfer.

The France international has shone during his time in Serie A and it looks like he might be a decent option on the market this summer as he wouldn’t cost a fortune.

According to Italian outlet Corriere della Sera, as cited and translated by Sport Witness, Arsenal have established contact with Kone’s representatives.

After looking into Kone’s situation, it seems Roma are not keen to sell the 25-year-old, but they could be open to selling him for around €50m, according to the report.

Manu Kone transfer could be smart business for Arsenal

Arsenal could do with more depth in the middle of the park next season, with Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi playing a huge amount of football over the course of the 2025/26 campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s side won the Premier League title and reached the finals of the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, so their squad was really stretched at times.

Still, Christian Norgaard barely got any playing time since his move from Brentford last summer, so Arteta might be keen to replace him with someone he trusts more.

Kone doesn’t necessarily look like he’d be a starter ahead of the likes of Rice, Zubimendi, or Myles Lewis-Skelly, but he surely has what it takes to be a better squad player than Norgaard.

Midfielders given huge price tags

If AFC can get the Roma ace for under €50m then that could end up being really good business in a market where midfielders are going for crazy money.

See below as Fabrizio Romano reports that Mateus Fernandes is already worth around £80m despite being relegated with West Ham…

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest want as much as £120m for Elliot Anderson after just one good season in the Premier League, according to the Athletic.

Arsenal might prefer having players who are already proven in English football, but they don’t come cheap, so looking at someone like Kone as an alternative seems like a good backup plan.