Former Chelsea defender Glen Johnson has urged the club to pursue a deal for Roma midfielder Manu Kone, valued at around £51 million, as Manchester United and Arsenal also show interest. New Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso is seeking to strengthen his central midfield options following the sale of Andrey Santos to United for £48 million.
Midfield overhaul at Stamford Bridge
Enzo Fernández's future at Chelsea remains uncertain after the Argentine expressed a desire to leave before the World Cup. Moises Caicedo is the only other senior midfielder currently at the club, while Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia aim for greater roles after injury-hit campaigns. Chelsea also had a £64 million bid for Bournemouth's Alex Scott rejected.
Johnson backs Kone as ideal signing
Johnson, speaking to Metro via Spinbet, described Kone as a 'top player' who would be a perfect replacement if Fernández departs. 'He has been excellent for France. A top midfielder, strong, physical, can use the ball well, pick a pass well... His attributes seem to be suited to the Premier League, so I don’t think he will have any issues getting used to the game at all,' Johnson said.
Kone made five appearances for France at the World Cup, helping them reach the semi-finals, and earned praise from former World Cup winner Patrick Vieira. Despite links to Arsenal and United, Chelsea have reportedly held 'initial talks' with Roma.
Kone focused on World Cup
Asked about transfer speculation before the tournament, Kone stated: 'Honestly, right now I’m only thinking about the World Cup... I want to remain exclusively focused on this. We’ll talk about the future after the World Cup and see what happens.'
Chelsea's summer activity
Chelsea have already signed Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra and completed a record £117 million deal for Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers. The Blues are also exploring a move for free agent John Stones, who left Manchester City last season. To raise funds, Chelsea may sell attacking duo Alejandro Garnacho and Nicolas Jackson, both attracting interest from Aston Villa.
Johnson also commented on potential departures: 'Alonso will have a good look at the squad... He will look at how these players can fit into his style of play and then determine who may not fit in the squad and be surplus to requirements.'
