Koné's future uncertain as Manchester United cool their pursuit

Manchester United has slowed its pursuit of Roma midfielder Manu Koné after initial intensive monitoring of the 2001-born France international, according to The Telegraph. The delay stems from doubts within the Manchester United hierarchy over whether the player justifies an outlay of at least €60 million. This does not represent a definitive withdrawal from the race, but rather a period of careful reflection on whether Koné represents the right investment for the club. Koné has attracted attention from top European clubs following an impressive World Cup campaign with France. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini considers him a fundamental piece of Roma's midfield setup, yet the club could be open to a sale of the right magnitude to help address financial fair play obligations. Manchester United had been the most attentive suitor to date, but the recent hesitation signals uncertainty about committing such a significant fee to the midfielder's profile.

Manu Koné's future remains uncertain as Roma weigh selling the midfielder against Manchester United's hesitation to commit. The club is prepared to listen to offers for one of Europe's strongest central midfielders, with both Al Ahli and Manchester United showing interest. However, neither club has moved decisively. At Old Trafford, not all senior figures support investing in the French midfielder. According to the Telegraph, perplex­ities exist within the English club over pursuing Koné, and a move worth approximately 60 million euros has not secured unanimous backing from United's hierarchy. Roma is keen to monetise a significant asset to address Financial Fair Play constraints, but concrete bids have been slow to arrive. The delay reflects genuine uncertainty at Manchester United rather than a definitive rejection. The Red Devils continue to monitor Koné as a target, but the club intends to evaluate every aspect of a potential deal before tabling a formal offer. This represents a slowdown in proceedings rather than an outright termination of discussions.

A rejected offer could indirectly benefit Roma's transfer strategy. The club's sporting director D'Amico is prioritising a left winger to reinforce Gasperini's squad, with Nusa as the primary target. El Mala, a German talent born in 2006, had emerged as an alternative option but has declined the move, reportedly setting his sights only on Borussia Dortmund instead. This rejection may open a path to Nusa after all. According to Sky Sport DE, Leipzig have begun eyeing El Mala to strengthen their attacking department. Should the 2006-born player arrive at Leipzig, the German club's transfer strategy could shift, potentially making Nusa available and easing his departure to Roma. However, caution is warranted: Leipzig have not signalled willingness to sell Nusa and continue to view him as an important piece of their squad. Leipzig have also not yet tabled an official offer for El Mala, with only an initial interest registered. Transfer markets thrive on interconnected moves, and the potential link between El Mala and Nusa could prove pivotal for Roma's window.

Roma are actively chasing multiple attacking targets as sporting director D'Amico attempts to strengthen Gian Piero Gasperini's squad following failed moves for Greenwood and Summerville. Nusa of Leipzig remains the primary objective but his €60 million valuation is seen as prohibitive. The club has held contacts with Leipzig but the German side continues to resist, prompting Roma to explore alternatives including Bahoya of Eintracht Frankfurt, Leweling of Stuttgart, and El Mala of Cologne. Castro of Bologna has emerged as a realistic target to deputise for Malen, with negotiations ongoing between Roma and the Rossoblu. The Argentine is not considered untouchable by Bologna, and Dovbyk will not be offered as a makeshift part-exchange. Meanwhile, Roma have rejected Luiz Henrique of Zenit and discarded Noa Lang of Napoli, whom Gasperini does not find convincing. Bobb of Fulham is also under consideration, valued at approximately €30 million, though Nusa remains the priority. On outgoings, Manchester United are preparing an opening bid for Manu Koné in the coming days, with Roma expecting an offer of at least €60 million. El Aynaoui has also attracted English interest. Separately, Fiorentina are pursuing Dovbyk as a replacement for Kean, potentially generating €40 million for Roma while investing €20 million in the Ukrainian striker. Roma are additionally monitoring Kessié, the free agent Ivorian also tracked by Juventus.

Roma's recruitment drive extends to player sales, with the club targeting significant profit margins. Manu Koné is among the players who could leave Rome for a fee exceeding €50 million, with Manchester United showing strong interest but yet to make a formal move. The French midfielder has opened the door to a Premier League switch but continues to hope for an approach from Paris Saint-Germain, which has not materialised to date. Elsewhere, English clubs have recently made contact regarding El Aynaoui. The midfielder caught attention following his impressive performances at the World Cup with Morocco, drawing the attention of several sides. Roma's technical team, led by D'Amico, is managing both incomings and outgoings as part of the club's ongoing strategy to generate capital gains from player departures.

Roma swept past Trastevere 6–0 in a pre-season friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen making an immediate impact on his first appearance of the season. The Dutch forward unlocked the match after three minutes and provided an assist for Bryan Cristante's goal, though he squandered a close-range opportunity. Paulo Dybala and Cherubini completed the first-half scoring, while Angeliño and young player Arena added second-half goals. Despite the emphatic victory, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces a depleted squad. Seven players from last season remain unresolved in the transfer market, and several more are absent due to post-World Cup leave—including Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui. Matías Soulé was rested as a precaution, while Robinio Vaz and Niccolò Pisilli have physical issues; Pisilli is sidelined with a first-degree soleus muscle-fascial strain. Evan N'Dicka appears fully recovered and Cristante impressed with his solidity and attacking threat, though Angeliño showed signs of lacking match fitness despite his goal. Prospect Camara delivered a convincing display under close staff observation. Cristante reiterated Roma's ambitions for the upcoming Champions League campaign and expressed confidence in new signings arriving soon, while signalling full openness to Lorenzo Pellegrini's return to the group.

Roma will take on French club Cannes in their third summer friendly on Sunday, 26 July, kick-off 17:30. The match marks a significant step up in difficulty after Roma's opening two warm-up games, both against lower-league opposition and both finished 6-0. Gasperini's side will face a tougher test against Cannes, who are owned by the Friedkin Group, providing the coach with valuable insights into the work completed during the training camp so far. Cannes represents the first genuine examination of Roma's pre-season preparations. Gasperini will gather important information on squad readiness ahead of the new season. The coach is expected to field a midfield partnership of Cristante and the young player Bah due to limited alternatives in that area. In attack, Malen and Dybala are set to feature, with Dybala already showing excellent form during the build-up. Roma-Cannes will be broadcast live exclusively on DAZN. Supporters can watch via the DAZN app on smart TVs, gaming consoles including Xbox and PlayStation, or devices such as Amazon Fire TV Stick, Google Chromecast, and TIM VISION Box. Live updates will be available on Forzaroma.info and across Roma's social media channels on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Roma legend Roberto Pruzzo has called for the club to make a high-profile acquisition in the transfer market, while radio pundit Orsi has criticised the window's progress so far. Speaking on Radio Radio, Pruzzo said: "Anyone can sign players for 50 million. Fans expect a coup like Malen. Now I expect the club to raise its level, without taking part in auctions that so far haven't made it look good. The delay on the market risks undermining Gasperini's work." Orsi added that while head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has not yet complained publicly, the lack of arrivals represents a disappointment. "Gasp isn't banging his fist on the table, even though nobody has arrived yet," Orsi said on the same station. "With D'Amico they haven't failed yet, but certainly this situation wasn't expected. A few other targets could have been acquired. At the moment the market is disappointing." The comments reflect growing frustration among Roma's fanbase and observers about the club's sluggish activity in what is a critical window under new manager Gasperini, appointed in 2025.

Roma's transfer market strategy has drawn criticism from former striker Roberto Pruzzo, who says the club must elevate its ambitions in the coming weeks. Speaking on Radio Radio Mattino, Pruzzo remarked that while any club can spend €50 million on players, supporters expect Roma to land a statement signing comparable to Donyell Malen. He stated: "I expect the club to raise the level, without taking part in auctions that so far have not given it a good showing. The delay on the market risks invalidating Gasperini's work." Gasperini took charge this year and is tasked with rebuilding Roma's credentials after a turbulent period. The criticism reflects frustration that, despite the appointment of a highly regarded coach, the transfer window has been underwhelming so far. Fellow radio pundit Nando Orsi echoed similar sentiments, noting that while head coach Gasperini has not yet made forceful demands in the market and no major exits have occurred under his stewardship, the overall market activity falls short of expectations. Orsi stated: "Gasp is not banging his fists on the table, even though no one has arrived yet. With D'Amico they haven't failed yet, but certainly this situation was not expected. A few other targets could have been picked up. For now, the market is disappointing."

Roma swept past Trastevere 6–0 in a pre-season friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen making an immediate impact on his first appearance of the season. The Dutch forward unlocked the match after three minutes and provided an assist for Bryan Cristante's goal, though he squandered a close-range opportunity. Paulo Dybala and Cherubini completed the first-half scoring, while Angeliño and young player Arena added second-half goals. Despite the emphatic victory, head coach Gian Piero Gasperini faces a depleted squad. Seven players from last season remain unresolved in the transfer market, and several more are absent due to post-World Cup leave—including Manu Koné and Neil El Aynaoui. Matías Soulé was rested as a precaution, while Robinio Vaz and Niccolò Pisilli have physical issues; Pisilli is sidelined with a first-degree soleus muscle-fascial strain. Evan N'Dicka appears fully recovered and Cristante impressed with his solidity and attacking threat, though Angeliño showed signs of lacking match fitness despite his goal. Prospect Camara delivered a convincing display under close staff observation. Cristante reiterated Roma's ambitions for the upcoming Champions League campaign and expressed confidence in new signings arriving soon, while signalling full openness to Lorenzo Pellegrini's return to the group.

Roma cruised to a 6-0 victory over Trastevere in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Trigoria, with Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala among the scorers. The match was played over two 35-minute halves, with first-half goals coming from Malen (3rd minute, set up by Devyne Rensch), Dybala (12th, from Bryan Cristante), Bryan Cristante (assist from Malen), and Rensch (30th, teeing up Cherubini). In the second half, with Gasperini fielding a largely youth-based XI, Angeliño and Arena added the final two goals in the closing minutes. The friendly marked Malen and Evan N'Dicka's return to full training following their World Cup campaigns with the Netherlands, both key players in Roma's recent Champions League qualification push. Matías Soulé was rested for load management, while Niccolò Pisilli missed out with a grade-one soleus muscle injury and will be assessed for recovery. Mario Hermoso impressed as the standout defender in the first half, while Malen showed signs of shaking off rustiness despite limited pre-season minutes alongside Dybala. Sports director Tony D'Amico attended from the dugout alongside Massimo Margiotta, the new youth academy director. The second half saw extensive minutes for academy players, continuing Roma's recent pattern from a 6-0 win over the senior Primavera side on the previous Sunday.

Roma delivered a commanding performance in a summer preparatory match at Trigoria, crushing Trastevere 6-0 across two 35-minute halves. Donyell Malen opened the scoring with a tap-in from close range after three minutes, before Paulo Dybala doubled the lead on 12 minutes. Bryan Cristante made it 3-0 on 25 minutes, Luigi Cherubini added a fourth on 30 minutes, and Angeliño extended the advantage to 5-0 in the second period. Arena sealed the rout with the sixth goal to end the match. Gian Piero Gasperini used the friendly to build fitness and introduce his tactical demands to the squad, fielding two different lineups across the two halves. Wesley struck the woodwork during the first period, while Gianluca Mancini was cautioned for a foul on the edge of the box in the 18th minute. New sporting director D'Amico watched from the stands as Roma's players gained valuable game time following international commitments. N'Dicka and Malen had recently returned to Trigoria after their involvement in the World Cup.