Chelsea have reportedly joined Liverpool in the race to sign Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone, as per the transfer journalist Simon Phillips (via Football.london).
Despite spending big in the summer window, the Blues have endured a disappointing campaign so far this term. It appears the new owners could splash the cash once again in January with the hope of turning their fortunes around in the second half of the season.
Chelsea have already signed Benoit Badiashile to strengthen their defence and David Datro Fofana to bolster the attack, while Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernández is also being strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.
Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Chelsea are struggling to reach an agreement with the Portuguese giants to sign the Argentine international this winter. And the Blues could now be lining up a move for Kone as an alternative target.
According to the report by Simon Phillips (via Football.london), Chelsea have joined the race to sign Borussia Monchengladbach youngster Manu Kone, also known as Kouadio Kone.
Manu Kone to Chelsea
The report further claims that Graham Potter’s side are set to face tough competition to sign the 21-year-old. Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this week that Liverpool are showing an interest in Kone as Jurgen Klopp looks to revamp his ageing midfield.
Liverpool’s main priority remains Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham but Klopp needs to bring in at least two midfielders over the coming windows, and Kone is seemingly on his radar.
The youngster joined the Bundesliga side back in January 2021 from French club Toulouse for a fee of around £8m. He displayed promising performances ahead of the World Cup break this term and caught the attention of many elite clubs around Europe.
Kone – valued at around £22m by Transfermarkt – still has two and a half years left on his current contract with Daniel Farke’s side. The German club would not want to sell their key first-team player in mid-season unless an un-refusable offer is tabled. So, signing the Frenchman would not be easy for Chelsea or Liverpool this month.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have continued to slip up under the new manager Graham Potter this season. The Blues hosted Manchester City last night in the Premier League and endured a disappointing 1-0 defeat.
Following this result, Chelsea have now managed to win only one game in the last eight league fixtures. They are currently 10th in the table with 25 points from 17 games, 10 points behind the fourth-placed Manchester United.
