New Delhi: Manchester United have agreed to sign Sekou Kone from Malian team Guitars FC. Erik ten Hag had been targeting improvement in the middle of the pitch, and the defensive midfielder might fit well with United’s plan to regain their domination over the Premier League and improve their academy ranks.
United are planning to integrate him slowly into the side with Kone coming from a much different background in Mali and will be initially put up with the U-21 setup. Kone has been rated with high potential by many teams and he will be seen as the no.6 of the first team in the coming future. He comes in a summer window, and Man United has been quite active in signing Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, Leny Yoro from Lille, Matthijs De Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich.
🚨🔴 EXCLUSIVE: Man United agree deal to sign 2006 born Mali international talent Sékou Koné from Guidars FC, here we go!
Koné was on the list of several clubs but United have agreed deal today. 🇲🇱
Considered top talent, he’s part of long term plans similar to Chido Obi Martin. pic.twitter.com/WywZyfyIp7
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 22, 2024
United swooping Kone from Guidars has put the academy on the footballing map. It is being reported that the terms of the deal are now in place, with United having beaten their other rivals for the 18-year-old. The Red Devils believe top talent can feature in United’s long-term plans. His arrival at the club is being compared with Chido Obi Martin’s to Arsenal’s academy side last season.
Kone’s career so far
Coming from the ranks of junior football clubs, Kone had impressed United in Mali with Guidars FC having previously trained with Jean-Marc Guillou’s academy JMG Academy. JMG has produced high-profile graduates in the past, including Yves Bissouma, who plays at Tottenham Hotspur. Kone will hope to retrace Bissouma’s steps as he plays for the first time in European football. He won’t be new to the international setup, having played with Mali at the U-17 level-up.
Kone has mostly trained and played as a defensive midfielder. He can be featured in a more advanced role, though he is less of a central midfielder in his limited appearances. How good Kone is, Manchester United are yet to properly evaluate until the transfer is complete. Mali’s youth set-up is a raw talent that will need Old Trafford’s youth centre to make him more flexible with his playing.
Kone also made his impact felt at the Under-17 World Cup last December and attracted the interest of top clubs. Mali reached the semi-finals, where they lost to France. Kone was the standout performer in the tournament and was one of the reasons for Mali’s amazing performance. United have beaten all these interests, believing that he can be their next big star. For now, United can only judge his stats with the Mali U-17 team, where his stats are decent, having made two assists from his 12 appearances.
Red Devils have beaten every club to bring the Mali midfielder to their side. It will be worth seeing how United shapes Kone’s career. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
