Serie A side Roma saw Manu Kone get linked with a host of Premier League teams in the summer. They managed to keep hold of him right after Chelsea made concrete advances and this decision has paid off.
The midfielder has been key for the Giallorossi in the ongoing campaign. He scored a vital brace against Inter, helping Roma notch up a 2-2 draw against a possible title rival. Even in other games, Gian Piero Gasperini is reaping the rewards of keeping him away from the London giants.
La Gazzetta dello Sport now report that Kone is starting to convince new France boss Zinedine Zidane quite a bit. He is being used in a deeper role but even then, he is thriving, which is similar to what he does when handed the freedom to bomb forward at club level.
It is believed Chelsea were willing to put forward €60 million for him in the summer, after Atletico Madrid made a €45 million approach. Now, his value has risen closer to €100 million because of how convincing he has been this season for club and country.
The amounts Tottenham have paid for Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali is seen as a marker for Roma’s valuation. They feel if clubs can pay big amounts, Kone is quite a huge asset in the market.
Kaustubh Pandey – GIFN
