Roma are pushing Manchester United to wrap up a deal for Manu Kone before July 31, with the Serie A side facing a potential €10m fine from UEFA if they fail to meet a strict financial deadline. The Italian club have a settlement agreement with European football's governing body requiring them to keep losses under €60m (£51.25m), and selling the 25-year-old France midfielder—valued between £43m and £51m—would go a long way towards balancing the books.
United have already agreed personal terms, in principle, with Kone, who was described by former France captain Patrick Vieira as "the best midfielder in France" ahead of Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot. But according to Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, the Reds have been moving "slowly" in negotiations, much to Roma's annoyance. The Romans are in a race against time: UEFA's deadline to prove compliance is July 31, leaving barely a week for the two clubs to finalise a transfer.
“Roma demand Man Utd sign Manu Kone by July 31 to avoid UEFA fine.”
The urgency is compounded by United's need for a fourth midfielder this summer. They have already spent £35m on Aston Villa's Youri Tielemans and £50m on Chelsea prospect Andrey Santos, but with Casemiro having departed and Manuel Ugarte sidelined through injury, manager Michael Carrick is still hunting for reinforcements. Kone impressed at the World Cup, starting four of France's seven matches, including coming on at half-time in the semi-final loss to Spain.
Meanwhile, the summer 2026 women's transfer window has seen a flurry of activity across the world's top six leagues. The Guardian has compiled a comprehensive guide tracking every deal in the NWSL, WSL, Liga F, Frauen-Bundesliga, Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile, alongside a club-by-club breakdown. Among the notable names featured are Gotham FC's Sam Kerr, the London City Lionesses' Alexia Putellas, and Borussia Dortmund's Alexandra Popp—though whether they have moved or remain at their clubs is not specified.
As the clock ticks towards July 31, all eyes are on Old Trafford. Will United accelerate their pursuit of Kone, or will Roma be forced to look elsewhere to avoid UEFA's financial hammer?
