Manchester United are gearing up for the season ahead with a newfound sense of optimism.
Ruben Amorim picked a strong side for Manchester United’s final game of pre-season tour, tightening up his player selection in the 2-2 draw with Everton.
While Amorim experimented tactically with one or two selections, he did not have room to indulge opportunities for younger players.
This will have been disappointing for Diego Leon and Ethan Williams, who combined for a goal in the previous win over Bournemouth.
It will have been even more frustrating for talented prospect Sekou Kone, a spectator on pre-season tour.
Sekou Kone in Manchester United Pre-Season Training, July 14, 2025
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Sekou Kone’s role in pre-season
Sekou Kone has been available to Ruben Amorim through pre-season, and has been an unused substitute in every game, including the draw against Leeds in Stockholm.
Amorim has preferred to utilise more first team midfielders instead, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte, while Toby Collyer has had some minutes too.
Kone, 19, did manage to get game time on the club’s postseason tour of Asia, playing 19 minutes in the 3-1 win over Hong Kong.
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Getting away and spending time with the squad and coaching staff will have benefited Kone, who spent most of last season with the under-21 side.
He is yet to make his professional debut for United, although did make the Premier League matchday squad as an unused substitute on three separate occasions.
Loan move now looks likely for Sekou Kone
Sekou Kone’s future now looks more and more likely to involve a loan move away from Manchester United.
It was reported in May via The Mail that Kone could be sent out on loan to Ineos’ partner club in Switzerland, Lausanne.
Young striker Enzo Kana-Biyik has become the first Manchester United player to go on loan to Lausanne.
Whether Lausanne end up being the ultimate destination for Kone or not, a loan exit is the most likely course of action for the Manchester United prospect.
Along with the likes of Toby Collyer and Jack Fletcher, United are likely to spend a good part of this transfer window trying to find the best possible paths ahead for their development.
Without European football this season, there will be little room for rotation, and pre-season has shown that up.