Forget Alex Scott, £86m star’s manager hints he could still be available after Chelsea bid
Chelsea failed to replace Enzo Fernandez in the summer. Alex Scott, Lamine Camara, and so many other midfielders were linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as Fernandez left for Man City.
Fernandez now finds himself amid the chaos of Man City being found guilty by the Premier League in 114 of the 115 charges levelled against them. Roy Keane has admitted he feels sympathy towards Fernandez.
But Chelsea are still without a midfielder. Alex Scott is the priority after a failed £64m bid in the summer, while Lamine Camara came within an inch of joining on deadline day. Manu Kone remains a possibility.
Gian Piero Gasperini drops Manu Kone hint after Chelsea bid
#Going into deadline day, with Fernandez’s move to City on the cards, it wasn’t Camara that looked most likely to join Chelsea. In fact, it was Roma’s France star Kone that looked the likeliest candidate to join.
On paper, Kone suits Chelsea more than Fernandez in Xabi Alonso’s 3-4-2-1 system. A more defensive-minded option, one that would be perfectly suited to sitting alongside Moises Caicedo in midfield.
However, Roma prevented a deal from happening, and manager Gian Piero Gasperini has explained why. As per CalcioMercato, Gasperini responded when asked about Chelsea’s interest in his midfielder.
It’s time to talk about our midfield situation… who’s getting your vote?
He said that Roma could not get a replacement in time, but also said that Kone has the chance to showcase his talent and increase his value. It suggests Roma could still be open to selling the midfielder.
“We couldn’t replace him in the final hours: there was nothing feasible. It was a very long transfer window, there just wasn’t enough time to get there with just a few hours to go,” Gasperini said, regarding Kone
“These transfers require a lot of people to draft the contracts: I don’t see how it could be done. I’m happy it went this way, he’ll have every opportunity to increase his value,” the Roma boss continued on Kone.
How much Roma now want for Kone after Vieira praise
Reports after the window had shut claimed Chelsea had a bid north of £50m for Kone rejected. But now, if Chelsea want to sign France’s World Cup star, then the Blues will have to pay a whopping £86m fee.
The hype around Kone is increasing. Patrick Vieira declared he is France’s best midfielder at the moment, and he’s not wrong. A key player at one of Serie A’s best sides at the moment, Kone is starting to thrive.
His increase in value is no surprise. Alex Scott is now injured for two months, and it might see Chelsea look to strike a deal with another midfielder on their list. Kone could remain high in Alonso’s thinking.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
