Man Utd told deal to sign £51m midfielder after Tielemans is ON as Ornstein shares ‘clear vision’

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini has dropped a major hint that his side will not prevent Manchester United from signing France star Manu Kone should they make a firm approach – while David Ornstein has shared Jason Wilcox’s “clear vision” over the profile of midfielder he wants to sign once a deal for Youri Tielemans is complete.

A patient approach to the transfer window for Manchester United is now starting to bear fruit. While the likes of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Elliot Anderson – the trio moving for combined fees worth an eye-popping £301m –  all proved too expensive for prudent co-owners INEOS, their efforts to bring in three new midfielders this summer has finally sprung into life.

And while they have walked away from a £35m agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta, they have now welcomed another Brazilian, Andrey Santos, to Old Trafford as the first official signing of the Michael Carrick regime.

In a rapid one-two for the Red Devils, Youri Tielemans will on Tuesday undergo a medical before signing on the dotted line after director of football, Jason Wilcox, agreed to trigger the bargain £35m release clause in his Aston Villa contract.

Now, signing number three could arrive quickly too, after Gasperini admitted that Roma were open to the sale of another top target in Kone.

Speaking to Rai Radio Uno, via AllRoma, about the France international, Gasperini has told United, and indeed any of his other suitors, that Roma will likely need to cash in on the 25-year-old for financial reasons.

“Unlike Malen, he was sidelined for a while due to injury and arrived at the World Cup in better shape. Last year he hadn’t played for France yet, and he managed to earn a starting spot, which shows his true worth.

On his potential sale, the Italian commented: “His future? I think these Financial Fair Play conditions are never so precise and defined; they vary from team to team. Roma also need to balance the books, which have been burdensome in recent years.

“I hoped that returning to the Champions League would be enough, but it’s clear that financial statements are crucial for clubs. I believe there will be more clarity in the coming weeks.”

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The price Man Utd must pay for Kone as Ornstein shares clear vision

Per il Corriere dello Sport, Roma recently turned down a €40m (£34m, $45m) bid from Atlético Madrid for Kone, with the Spanish giants going on to sign Morten Hjulmand from Sporting CP instead.

As a result, it’s now claimed Roma are seeking a fee of around €60m (£51m, $68m) for the 18-cap France star.

Should United meet that amount, it will take their total spend on three new midfielders to around the £136m mark – decent business given the insane fees flying around this summer.

Journalist David Ornstein has also shared the profile of midfielder that United would want from signing number three – suggesting that either Kone, Joao Gomes of Wolves, or Real Madrid’s Aurlien Tchouameni would fit the bill.

Speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, Ornstein stated: “United will have a CLEAR vision of what they want.

“I’d imagine looking at the profile of what they got now, which is Mainoo, Santos and Tielemans, they will want somebody with LEGS.

“Someone who can really cover grounds and provide a bit of complementary qualities to what those players bring to the party, which is ball-playing and control.

“They need someone who can run, and they will be well aware of that. So it will be fascinating to see which direction they go in.”

As we revealed on Monday, United have four options in mind for that third midfielder spot, with a final decision having been made on Ederson.

However, a new report claims a fierce Premier League rival plans to now beat the Red Devils to the signing of Gomes, having now made contact themselves over a deal.

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