Chelsea’s mooted move for Roma midfielder Manu Kone has become a little trickier, with the Italian now reportedly valued at closer to €100m. The Giallorossi could legitimately ask for something in the region of that amount before letting him go in January, per reports.
The France international was expected to depart the Stadio Olimpico in the summer, having already been protected from Inter’s advances months ago. Roma had increased his asking price to €60m, a figure Chelsea flirted with but didn’t pursue. The Blues were keen to look at Kone as a possible replacement for Enzo Fernandez but failed to get a deal over the line before the window slammed shut.
Since then, Kone’s progress has only strengthened Roma’s negotiating position, with his form reaching new heights. The 25-year-old struck twice in the first half of the Giallorossi’s 2-2 draw with Inter on September 19, netting in the sixth and 37th minutes.
The €60m Chelsea had previously had in mind would now be a starting point, not the final figure. It is also claimed that the West London club never made a formal offer in the summer window. The likes of Sandro Tonali’s €108m move to Tottenham Hotspur and Elliot Anderson’s €135m switch to Manchester City are being used as a benchmark for the Frenchman’s increasing price.
Kone arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2024 for an estimated €18m and has since become a regular first choice for Zinedine Zidane’s France side. That means any new Chelsea bid in January would need to be much more lavish than the one they turned down.
Chelsea still want midfield additions after deadline day disappointments
Chelsea’s interest in Kone comes amid a turbulent end to the summer window, which saw Enzo Fernandez depart for Manchester City. The Argentine was signed for a joint-British record fee of £125m on deadline day to move to the Etihad Stadium.
The Blues had settled on Monaco’s Lamine Camara as a replacement for Fernandez with a £47m fee understood to have been agreed between the two clubs. But Monaco reneged on the written agreement after the 11pm deadline had passed. Xabi Alonso was without the direct midfield reinforcement he sought after Fernandez’s lucrative departure, thanks to that last-minute change of heart.
That lack has been evident early in Chelsea’s Premier League season, with the Blues mustering only seven points from five games. Wins against Fulham and Brighton were followed by defeat to Arsenal (2-1), a draw with Hull City (2-2) and a chastening 3-0 reverse at Brentford. The return of Moises Caicedo could offer some relief for Alonso, although reports suggest the club are still considering options in midfield as January approaches.