Manchester United have reportedly secured a deal for a promising young midfielder, though the agreement appears to be finalized before Manuel Ugarte joins Erik ten Hag’s squad.
On Thursday afternoon, Man Utd was linked to Sekou Kone, an 18-year-old central midfielder currently playing for Guidars FC in Mali. The move progressed swiftly, with Fabrizio Romano giving his trademark ‘here we go’ confirmation.
Romano, writing on X (formerly known as Twitter), announced that Manchester United have agreed on a deal to bring Kone to the Premier League.
The teenager had caught the attention of several European clubs after his impressive performances in Mali, but Man Utd quickly moved to secure his signature.
Kone, a Mali U17 international, is regarded as a top prospect for the future. United’s academy coaches will oversee his development in the coming years, with the goal of eventually integrating him into the first team.
While Kone’s arrival at Old Trafford might not generate as much excitement as the signing of Arsenal starlet Chido Obi-Martin, the strategy remains consistent.
Under the leadership of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, Manchester United is focused on recruiting the best young talent to ensure the senior squad’s future success, much like the approach Manchester City has employed in recent years.
Although Kone has the potential to become a top player in the Premier League, his signing doesn’t address Manchester United’s immediate midfield concerns.
With Casemiro showing signs of decline and the club yet to re-sign Sofyan Amrabat, the need for a new No. 6 is evident.
Ratcliffe has been engaged in prolonged negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain for their midfield enforcer Ugarte.
So far, Ratcliffe has faced frustration as no agreement has been reached, but the situation could soon shift.
In a separate update, Romano reports that Manchester United is ‘close’ to securing a deal for Ugarte following a ‘positive’ meeting with PSG officials.
Although there were rumors suggesting United might target Atalanta’s midfield star Ederson due to the uncertainty surrounding Ugarte, those have been dismissed.
Ratcliffe is fully focused on acquiring Ugarte, with the deal expected to be an initial loan that includes an obligation for Manchester United to buy him next summer.
