Real Madrid News
Real Madrid closely monitoring €60 million-rated Serie A midfielder – report
According to AS, Real Madrid are closely monitoring AS Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone in the final week of the summer transfer window.
The Merengues have closely followed the 25-year-old midfielder for some time, including scouting him in person on several occasions.
He is viewed as an attractive option should a midfielder leave before the transfer window closes. While he is not the only candidate on the table, his name is highly regarded internally.
The scouting department, led by Juni Calafat, has been keeping a close eye on him.
In fact, Real Madrid representatives monitored Kone during Roma’s Serie A opener against Fiorentina last Monday, a convincing 4-0 victory. They were also assessing Franco Mastantuono’s debut for the Italian side.
A €60 million midfielder
Kone is under contract with Roma until 2029, having joined the club in 2024, shortly after Jose Mourinho left his position as coach. His potential transfer fee is estimated at around €60 million.
Before moving to Italy, Kone played for Toulouse and Borussia Monchengladbach. He has made 19 appearances for France and impressed at the recent World Cup, starting against Iraq, Norway, Paraguay and Morocco after Aurelien Tchouaméni was injured.
A defensive midfielder, Kone is strong in duels and intelligent when pressing. He combines physical power and mobility with good technical ability and sound decision-making
A profile that fits Mourinho
Kone’s qualities match many of the characteristics Mourinho wants from his midfielders. However, his arrival, or that of any other player, depends entirely on whether Real Madrid lose someone before the market closes.
Real Madrid are not ruling out a major Premier League approach for one of their midfielders, which is why the club remains prepared for any eventuality.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are all looking for midfield reinforcements, with Eduardo Camavinga and Tchouameni having been mentioned as potential targets.
Tchouameni recently agreed to renew his contract with Real Madrid until 2031, making his departure less likely, but the club remain alert to developments during the final days of the window.
For now, Real Madrid consider their squad complete. But the club know that an unexpected offer or departure could quickly change their plans. If that happens, Kone is one of the midfielders already on the radar.
Real Madrid are back in action tomorrow in La Liga as they take on Elche at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero on Matchday 6.
The Merengues go into the game on the back of a solid 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu and will be eager to build on that, especially with the Madrid derby coming up later in the week.
Ahead of the trip to Elche, Jose Mourinho has announced the squad list of players that will be at his disposal for the game tomorrow night.
There are no new returns to the squad as Real Madrid continue to be without Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy, and Rodrygo Goes for the game.
Mourinho could look to make changes to his starting lineup, keeping an eye on the derby at the weekend, which could potentially open the doors for someone like Aurelien Tchouameni to start, having been eased back into the thick of things after return from injury.
There could be some rotations in defence as well, with the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold hoping to get some action on the pitch.
It remains to be seen if Yan Diomande starts another game after featuring from the get-go against Rayo at the weekend, especially considering that Arda Guler has been a key player for Mourinho’s team.
Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., and Jude Bellingham have started all matches so far and it will be interesting to see if one or all of them are given a break with an eye on the derby.
📋✅ ¡Nuestros convocados!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 14, 2026
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