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Mourinho targets Koné as Real Madrid eye Roma midfielder
·27 August 2026·7h ago

Mourinho targets Koné as Real Madrid eye Roma midfielder

Source: Roma News

Real Madrid have identified Manu Koné as a priority midfield target, with José Mourinho championing the French midfielder as an ideal fit for the Blancos' needs. Mourinho has arranged close inspection of Koné by Real Madrid's scouts to assess his suitability.

According to Diario AS, Real Madrid can only move to sign Koné if they first sell a midfielder to create space in their squad. This standoff allows Roma to handle the situation without pressure: with the summer transfer window closing in days, the club has no intention of parting with one of its midfield pillars.

Koné, who joined Roma on an initial loan with an obligation to buy from Borussia Mönchengladbach for €18 million, remains central to Roma's midfield plans for the 2026-27 season.

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Roma have learned their eight opponents in the UEFA Champions League league phase following the draw in Monte Carlo on 27 August. The Giallorossi will face Real Madrid (home), PSG (away), Sporting Lisbon (home), Manchester United (away), Lille (home), Fenerbahçe (away), Slovan Bratislava (home) and AEK Athens (away), with four matches at the Stadio Olimpico and four away. This marks Roma's return to Europe's elite competition for the first time in seven years after finishing third in Serie A last season. The league phase will determine which 24 teams advance to the knockout round from the original 36-team lineup, with Roma's first match set for 8, 9 or 10 September, with the full fixture schedule to be released in the coming days.

Several outlets highlight the narrative richness of the draw. José Mourinho, now Real Madrid manager, will return to the Olimpico as an opponent after his years managing Roma. Luis Enrique faces Roma from the PSG bench, adding intrigue to fixtures against two of world football's biggest names. The trip to Fenerbahçe carries particular significance, as Roma will encounter Mason Greenwood—described as a major regret from the summer transfer window—alongside Mattéo Guendouzi and Romelu Lukaku.

Off the pitch, Roma have intensified their pursuit of Malick Fofana from Lyon, with dialogue accelerating since the French club's Champions League elimination. Roma have secured agreement with the Belgian winger, identified by coach Gian Piero Gasperini as the ideal left winger, for a fee around €40 million. Separately, young French forward Robinio Vaz is departing Roma to Hull City on a season-long loan worth €2 million with a €30 million purchase option, freeing attacking space as Gasperini reshapes his squad ahead of the new campaign.

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Testo Originale / Source Text

Clamoroso retroscena di mercato sull’asse Roma-Madrid: Manu Koné è finito nel mirino del Real Madrid. I Blancos hanno inserito il centrocampista francese tra le opzioni prioritarie per rinforzare la mediana, sollecitati dalla forte stima del tecnico José Mourinho, che lo considera un profilo ideale…

Read the full article in Italian at Roma News.

Read original on Roma News

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