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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Chelsea and Manchester United are battling for 25-year-old midfielder Manu Kone from Roma and the French national team. The Italian club rejected Atletico's €43 million offer and is looking for at least €50 million.

Italian and British sources report yet another rivalry between Chelsea and Manchester United in the transfer market.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport: Manu Kone's future remains uncertain, as Roma weighs up the feasibility of selling the player before the transfer window closes. An offer from Atletico Madrid of €43 million was deemed insufficient, as the Romans value the French international at around €50 million.

Sky Sports states: Michael Carrick's team has previously looked into the terms of a potential deal and was at one point considered the favourite to land the player.

Details of the transfer tussle

  • Manchester United's position: Despite summer signings of Youri Tielemans and Andre Santos totalling £85 million, Carrick sees the 25-year-old Kone as an ideal candidate due to his physicality, ability to progress the ball under pressure, and versatility.
  • Chelsea's interest: The arrival of the Blues complicates negotiations for United. Chelsea have already discussed Kone as part of their talks with Roma.
  • International stature: Kone's impressive performances for the French national team at the recent World Cup have significantly boosted his valuation, making the €50 million (£43 million) price tag quite reasonable for top Premier League clubs.