Chelsea to bid for €60m star with 'determined move' teased

12 Sept 2026 17:01 BST |
4 min read

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Chelsea are expected to return for AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone in January, but they are likely to be rivalled by Liverpool.

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The France international experienced a very tumultuous summer. Having starred in Serie A and at the World Cup, it was expected that he would be sold by Roma as they needed to make sales to comply with a UEFA settlement.

However, at first, the necessary suitors did not emerge, which resulted in the Giallorossi missing the cut-off point for the previous financial year. Consequently, they decided to kick the can down the road and commit to fixing their sales problem in the future rather than immediately.

The club therefore decided that Kone would only be sold if an extraordinary offer were to arrive, and this ultimately did not materialise, though there was no shortage of interest.

In the latter stages of the window, the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City all enquired about the 25-year-old. In fact, according to Tuttomercatoweb, the Blues even lodged a €60 million bid, but to no avail. Roma did not budge.

Chelsea plot new Kone assault

The Italian outlet adds that the interest in Kone isn’t going away. On the contrary, it seems to be increasing. Chelsea, for their part, are expected to make a fresh attempt to sign him in January, given that they failed to replace Enzo Fernandez this summer.

The Blues saw a last-minute move for Monaco star Lamine Camara collapse, leaving them potentially short of midfield options. Chelsea have “no intention of giving up” on Kone.

However, prising him away from Roma mid-season could be even more challenging than it was this summer. The Serie A giants are “determined to defend themselves from the big clubs’ assault for Kone,” the report states.

In addition to Chelsea, there is a feeling that Liverpool will also be in the mix to sign the Frenchman in 2027. It is no secret that he is on their shortlist of potential replacements for Alexis Mac Allister, who is facing an uncertain contract situation.

The Reds could make a “more determined” move to sign this long-standing target, with Kone having already been on the Anfield club’s radar during his time at Borussia Monchengladbach.

That said, Liverpool are also in the race to sign the aforementioned Camara. They reportedly told him to stay put for another season, and he seems to be a more attainable option as Chelsea are not expected to revisit their deal for him after Monaco’s Deadline Day shenanigans.

It could be a case of Kone ending up at Chelsea and Camara joining Liverpool next year.