Man United have already been told why Manu Kone is a great Tchouameni alternative

Open menu

OneFootball's home page

Settings

The Peoples Person

9 July 2026

It is now almost certain that Aurelien Tchouameni will not be moving to

Manchester United

this summer.

After the 20-time English champions missed out on other top midfield targets, the Real Madrid man emerged as a dream summer 2026 signing. He was set to become the face of United’s midfield rebuild.

A Tchouameni signing would have eased the frustration caused by missing out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes. However,

this blockbuster raid on the Bernabeu is not happening

, not with the midfielder and Real Madrid agreeing to renew terms.

United must now look elsewhere, and in doing so, they may have found the ultimate response to their Tchouameni heartbreak.

United are reportedly

set to pursue AS Roma’s Manu Kone

, and it is wise for them to do so.

Kone is the best

Tchouameni

alternative out there. Like the Real Madrid star, he excels at ball progression, carrying the ball from central areas and spreading it into wide areas with real verve. He is also a hard tackler with a good eye for a pass.

Moreover, he has a more natural feel for injecting tempo and redirecting distribution with fluidity and flow. That said, he is arguably the better option against low blocks, a fact that became clear when he replaced the injured Tchouameni in

France’s

World Cup round-of-16 win over Paraguay.

Paraguay deployed an aggressive low block, relying on physicality to disrupt play and unsettle the French players.

But for Kone, a “

a one-man army

“, the hostility of the rivals held no fear. Tasked with proving he could match Tchouameni’s quality as a six, he did exactly that.

The Serie A tempo-setter rose to the occasion, and his impressive shift did not go unnoticed by the French media.

Maxi Foot

wrote of his performance:

“Starting in place of the injured Tchouaméni, the French midfielder justified the faith shown in him by coach Didier Deschamps. Thanks to his work rate, the AS Roma player held his own in duels despite the Paraguayans’ aggression.

“Accurate in his passing, though not particularly inspired in his playmaking, he wasn’t afraid to push forward and try his luck with long-range shots.”

Foot Mercato

, meanwhile, said: “In Tchouameni’s absence, he held the fort perfectly in midfield and managed to keep his composure against the tough opposing midfielders.”

Surely Didier Deschamps, or the next France coach, now knows that if Tchouameni is unavailable, he can rely on Kone.

Indeed, after

Ederson

and

Andrey Santos

, Kone could be the final piece of the puzzle in United’s midfield rebuild.

While Santos and Ederson are great options, Kone is surely the perfect partner for

Kobbie Mainoo

Mainoo’s game thrives with security behind him, and that is exactly what the Roma midfield lynchpin offers, with his relentless ball-winning, athleticism and ability to break lines with the ball.

Together, Mainoo and Kone would combine high-volume defensive grit with tight-space creativity, giving United the balance they have long craved.

With Kone, you surely have everything Tchouameni could offer, with no reason to

blow £100m-plus

on one deal.

Featured image Paolo Bruno via Getty Images

online polls

The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading

Man United

news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky:

@peoplesperson.bsky.social

Man Utd react to Tchouameni snub by accelerating move for star who’s agreed terms with Arsenal

Football365

Man Utd ready to sign Real Madrid star on one condition as INEOS turn to three Fernandes alternatives

Report: Manchester United receive green light to push for Serie A midfielder

EPL Index

Tchouameni to snub Man Utd and sign new Real Madrid deal

The Football Faithful

Aurelien Tchouameni closing in on new Real Madrid contract as Manchester United option fades

Siempre Madrid

Predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for

There are still some massive names who are set to become free agents in the summer, with some high-profile deals due to expire at the end of next month.As speculation...

Tottenham: Why James Maddison was not awarded a penalty against Leeds as Premier League issue statement

Spurs midfielder denied a big moment on his return from injuryThe Premier League has explained why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty in their draw against Leeds.As the clock ticked...

Bento's howler delays CR7's first title in Saudi Arabia 😱

An ugly mistake by Brazilian goalkeeper Bento prevented Al-Nassr from winning the Saudi League title this Tuesday.Cristiano Ronaldo’s team was leading 1-0 until the 53rd minute of the second half,...