By OkayGoal 
Chelsea remain keen on signing French international midfielder Manu Koné from AS Roma but face competition from Liverpool, according to Tuttomercatoweb.
The Blues entered the final stages of the summer transfer window with strong expectations of bringing in a midfielder who could immediately step into the starting XI and influence games.
Jordan Henderson and Valentin Barco were added to the midfield ranks, arriving from Brentford and Strasbourg, respectively. Still, Henderson is seen as an experienced presence who can provide leadership to Chelsea’s youthful squad. At the same time, Barco is still viewed as a developing prospect who needs time to adapt to the intensity of Premier League football.
With the deadline approaching, Xabi Alonso’s side continued their pursuit of midfield reinforcements and also saw a late attempt to sign Lamine Camara falling through.
Another midfielder the club looked to sign was Koné, with Football Talk citing French journalist Santi Aouna reporting that Chelsea made contact with Roma to sign the 25-year-old.
However, according to Tuttomercatoweb, Roma rejected Chelsea’s approach on deadline day, which included a formal £51m offer.
Still, despite last summer’s failed move, the report adds that Chelsea remain keen on the French international and are determined to reignite their interest in signing him.
However, the London giants face stern competition from Liverpool, who have also made enquiries for Koné and could make a formal move for him, according to the report.
Koné to Chelsea
While Chelsea’s attack has been high-flying, their midfield has come under much scrutiny and deservedly so, due to their lack of quality depth in the position.
Notably, against Arsenal, the Blues ended the game playing with two right-backs, Malo Gusto and Reece James, as a midfield pair, while they were run ragged and appeared non-existent by Leeds United’s midfield in the first 60 minutes of their 6-3 Carabao Cup win last Wednesday.
Adding Koné, described as ‘extraordinary’ by his former youth coach at Toulouse, Jean-Christophe Debu, could give Xabi Alonso’s midfield a viable option to provide the much-needed solidity in the middle of the park while also being capable of orchestrating plays from deep.
Across 262 minutes of Serie A action, Koné has completed an impressive 91.4% of his passes without losing possession, while his long-ball accuracy stands at 85.7%. His 75.57% touch rate further underlines how effectively he keeps the ball and helps drive transitions.
The Frenchman, valued at £42m by Transfermarkt, has also shown his defensive ability in Italy, averaging 4.12 successful duels and 2.06 tackles per 90 minutes, showcasing his reliability in disrupting opposition attacks.
