On Saturday afternoon, just before Zlatan Ibrahimovic spoke about him at Casa Milan, Manu Koné was on the field with Borussia Moenchengladbach in the DFB-Pokal, playing four minutes plus stoppage time in a 3-1 victory against lower league side Aue. Don’t be misled; Koné has always been a key player in Gladbach’s midfield. His benching can be explained by his recent participation in the Olympics, where he helped France win a silver medal. The midfielder, who developed at Toulouse, has just returned to the team, hence he wasn’t named in the starting lineup.
However, there is a chance that he may not start again for Borussia, as he is attracting interest from both Milan and Roma. The club’s sporting director, Roland Virkus, disclosed about three weeks ago that Koné had made it clear he wants to leave in the summer: “He told us at the start of summer that he would like to be transferred.” Initially, Borussia set a price tag of around €30 million, but as the transfer window draws to a close, this valuation has dropped to €20 million. This is a much more affordable price for a 23-year-old whose contract runs until 2026. Zlatan Ibrahimovic commented, “We’re watching him; he’s growing a lot.”
For Milan to make any move, however, they need to free up space on their roster. Even the departures of Yacine Adli—who continues to reject offers (most recently from Turkey)—and Pierre Kalulu, who still has Juventus lurking, wouldn’t be sufficient alone. Another player needs to go, and the primary candidate is Ismael Bennacer, who had a disappointing showing in his first match against Torino.
It’s no secret that the Algerian midfielder has set his sights on a move to the Saudi league for religious reasons and, of course, for financial ones; the Arabs are known for offering exorbitant salaries. Currently, Bennacer earns €4 million net, which almost doubles in gross on Milan’s budget. This, combined with a dip in form since his serious injury during the Champions League derby in 2022-23, means the Rossoneri wouldn’t be overly upset if he left, especially if it triggered the €50 million release clause in his contract.
Here lies the issue: Saudi clubs, reportedly including Al-Ittihad and Al-Qadsiah, have become hesitant to invest heavily in transfer fees. Perhaps Milan would even consider accepting a lower offer, allowing them to pounce on Koné and complete what Ibrahimovic has often referred to as the “seven days to build the world.”
It won’t be easy, especially with competition from Roma, but the Rossoneri seem determined to make a serious attempt at bringing Koné to the San Siro.