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David Tully Jul 21st 2026
Former Real Madrid and Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has backed Man Utd to sign Roma’s Manu Kone.
The Red Devils are reportedly interested in recruiting the France international, and speaking to AceOdds.com, van der Vaart said that he will be an ideal replacement for Casemiro:
“Manu Kone has surprised me for sure. I hadn’t seen much of him except some highlights at this World Cup; I’ve been really impressed by his confidence. He’s strong with the ball and without it. He’s coming into the box, getting chances to score. Complete midfielder who’s a joy to watch.”
“I also think Man Utd need a player like him. They had Casemiro, who was a little bit older. So yeah, I think they could use a player like him. I would have bought him yesterday.”
Kone has interest from 2 other Premier League clubs
French publication L’Equipe have confirmed that United are keen on securing the 25-year-old’s services, but Michael Carrick’s side will have competition for the player.
They claim that “two other Premier League clubs” have also registered their interest in Kone, although the identity of the teams is not known. Reports in Italy have named Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea as potential suitors in recent days.
Will Man Utd match his asking price?
Sources in the UK have subsequently verified L’Equipe‘s reporting that the Red Devils have held discussions with Kone’s representatives, but there is no agreement with Roma on a transfer fee.
Before the World Cup, the Giallorossi were believed to be happy to sell the Frenchman for €50m (£43m), but following his performances during the tournament, the price tag has subsequently increased to €60m (£51m). It remains to be seen if United will pay that much for him.
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David Tully
David Tully
David has worked as a football reporter for the last fifteen years. Having started as an intern at Snack Media, he then went on to become a freelancer, working on various different sites. At the start of 2023, he took up his current role as content writer for the Football News Network.