Roma want Manu Kone gone by the end of the month. Manchester United have agreed personal terms and still have not bid.
Roma have put a date on it. They want Manu Kone sold by 31 July to meet the terms of a UEFA settlement agreement that runs to the end of the month, and the offer they have been waiting for has not arrived. Manchester United have agreed personal terms with Kone's representatives and are ready to go to about 50 million euros. Roma want around 60 million. Fabrizio Romano's position has not moved: there have been contacts with the agents, no bid to Roma, and no club-to-club talks. Kone is 25 and reached the World Cup semi-finals with France.
A thread that looked shut is open again. Samuel Luckhurst reports that Manchester United made a fresh enquiry for Aurelien Tchouameni on 23 July, and Real Madrid have never formally announced the contract extension that was supposed to end this. Luckhurst's line is that the agreement is not settled between all parties. No fee has been agreed and no fee has been verified, whatever the aggregators are running this morning.
Alex Scott is getting more expensive, not less. Bournemouth have rejected a bid of 64 million pounds from Chelsea, first reported by Ben Jacobs, and value him at about 80 million. Scott has turned down a new contract but is under contract until 2028, and Bournemouth expect to keep him either way. David Ornstein says Manchester United love the player and that Bournemouth are not open to selling at any price. United have not made a formal bid.
Lewis Hall wants Old Trafford and the fee is the argument. Newcastle would open at 65 to 70 million pounds. Ben Jacobs puts his market value at 40 to 45 million. Hall is reported ready to ask for the move face to face if he is not promised a first-choice role, though he has not lodged a request, and Newcastle are preparing a new contract with a significant rise instead. Joshua Zirkzee has approved a move to Juventus, who want a loan. United want 35 to 40 million euros, or a loan with an option to buy. That gap is the whole negotiation, and it is the same one that killed the January talks.
Elsewhere. David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana report that Real Madrid are working to sign Rodri from Manchester City, with no talks between the clubs yet and Real proceeding on the basis that he arrives this summer. Ben Jacobs says City are bracing for an offer. Arsenal are still exploring a move for Vinicius Junior with no club-to-club contact. Michael Olise is staying at Bayern Munich: sporting director Christoph Freund dismissed the Real Madrid links in public, and Olise has filed no request.
