Manu Kone: Why Arsenal should consider transfer for Bruno Guimaraes alternative dubbed France's best | OneFootball

Gunners are expected to bolster their midfield options this summer

When it comes to rating midfielders, Patrick Vieira’s opinion should not be taken lightly. Perhaps it is no surprise Arsenal have been linked with a move for the man he has dubbed France’s finest.

Reports in Italy suggest the Roma star has already agreed personal terms with the club, who have also been linked with big-money swoops for Newcastle pair Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, as well as Lille and Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Kone, also subject to reported interest from Manchester City, is something of a surprise target, though. The 25-year-old came into this World Cup with 12 France caps and an injury, subsequently failing to start the tournament opener against Senegal.

But now back to full fitness, he has been restored to the side and caught the eye with an impressive performance in holding midfield in last week’s defeat of Iraq.

And facing Norway on matchday three, it took less than nine minutes to establish exactly why some of Europe’s top sides are so keen to bring him on board.

With four minutes played, his lofted diagonal ball to Ousmane Dembele on the right flank sliced a heavily rotated Norway side clean open. The ball came back to Kone, and the impact of his subsequent half-volley stinging the palms of Egil Selvik echoed around the ground. It was a sign of things to come.

Manu Kone could be the perfect fit for Arsenal

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He was on defensive duties shortly after. His tackle to dispossess Leo Ostigard was picked up by Kylian Mbappe, who duly sent Dembele in behind for thrash home the opener.

In under ten minutes, Kone shows he can do it all. Attack, defend, create. Mikel Arteta being a man fond of positionally versatile players, he seems to fit the profile of a modern Arsenal man.

Kone started well here but did not burn out. After Ousmane Dembele’s remarkable 32-minute hat-trick, he threatened a fourth with a driving run goalwards which may well have borne fruit if not for Mbappe’s marginally overhit pass in the one-two.

He was more than able to disrupt Norway’s build-up play, too. The midfielder, a product of Toulouse’s academy, spent much of the match prowling in the midfield, but habitually picked ideal moments to press, catching his opposition out every time.

And that was all before the half-time whistle blew.

This is not to say he is a complete player. It was his missed tackle which forced Theo Harnandez to lunge in on Oscar Bobb, conceding a second-half penalty. One wonders, too, if his rather languid approach to out-of-possession play might grate for Premier League viewers.

One wonders, too, if his rather languid approach to out-of-possession play might grate for Premier League viewers

His quality, though, is undeniable. While he may not be the all-action midfielder to rival Declan Rice for a starting berth, he boasts a football IQ and vision beyond his years.

Premier League proven names may be more tempting, more eye-catching for the marketing team, but Arsenal could do far worse than Kone, who has already played 250 matches of club football across three leagues.