Arsenal show interest in £43m midfielder as smart alternative to £100m Newcastle star

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Arsenal have expressed interest in AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone.

According to L’Equipe, the French international is expected to leave Roma this summer, with Inter Milan the frontrunners for his signature.

But the Premier League champions have now entered the race and have registered their interest in a deal for the 25-year-old, whose contract runs until 2029.

Kone joined Roma in the summer of 2024 from Borussia Monchengladbach for €20million and has made 82 appearances since joining.

Roma are reluctant to sell him, but they may be forced to in order to raise funds due to UEFA’s financial fair play regulations.

The midfielder is one of their more valuable assets, and would likely cost between €40-50million.

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It is obvious why Mikel Arteta would approve of the signing. Kone is an athletic box-to-box midfielder also capable of playing in a deeper role, which makes him an ideal replacement for Christian Norgaard, who is expected to leave this summer.

He is the type of player who can carry the ball and drive a team up the pitch, something Arsenal struggled with in transition towards the back end of the season.

Manu Kone makes more sense than spending £100m on Sandro Tonali

It is obvious to anyone that the midfield market this summer has become almost comically inflated.

Newcastle want £100million for Sandro Tonali. Bournemouth have slapped an £80million price tag on Alex Scott. Nottingham Forest rejected a £120million bid from Manchester City for Elliot Anderson. Relegated West Ham insist on getting £80million for Mateus Fernandes.

In comparison, Kone at around £43million would represent decent value, particularly given that Arsenal already have the established quality of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Martin Zubimendi competing for midfield places alongside Declan Rice.

Spending close to £100million on another central midfielder when forward areas remain the primary concern would be questionable at best.

Kone could be the smart, savvy addition that frees up the majority of Arsenal’s budget for the attacking reinforcements Arteta actually needs.

If he impresses at the World Cup with France, that price will only rise, making now the ideal time to move.