Arsenal have reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with Roma midfielder Manu Kone, casting doubt over two other potential deals. Mikel Arteta is anticipated to receive substantial backing for signings this summer as the club aim to defend their Premier League crown next season.
Kone has excelled in Italy since his £15.5million move to Roma, initially arriving on loan in 2024. He featured 34 times last season, contributing to the club's third-place Serie A finish, and secured selection for France's World Cup squad.
According to Italian publication Corriere della Sera, Arsenal have already conducted discussions with the midfielder's representatives and settled personal terms ahead of a post-World Cup transfer. The remaining task is to thrash out a fee with Roma, who are seeking £43million.
The report suggests, however, that the Italian outfit might accept £39m (€45m), with Roma believed to require player sales before month's end, potentially smoothing the path for a deal. Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan had also registered interest, but Arsenal now seem to have established themselves as frontrunners.
Several midfielders have been connected with the north London outfit, including Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, who appeal to the hierarchy. Arsenal have recently cooled their pursuit of Fernandes, who has been mooted as a possible addition for Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Tonali could still make the switch to Arsenal's north London rivals Tottenham following discussions with the player's representatives. Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is believed to regard the Italian as the 'ideal' acquisition to help propel the club up the Premier League standings after consecutive relegation battles.
By choosing to proceed with a move for Kone, Arsenal fans may get the opportunity to watch him feature in France's opening fixture against Senegal on Tuesday night (8pm). Conscious of the likelihood he might draw attention during the tournament, Kone played down the rumours surrounding his future, saying: 'Honestly, right now I'm only thinking about the World Cup. It's my first major international competition, a tournament I've always dreamed of playing in. I want to remain exclusively focused on this. We'll talk about the future after the World Cup and see what happens.'
The midfielder could feature in France's World Cup opener against Senegal. Kone started his professional career at Toulouse before signing for Borussia Monchengladbach, where he remained for four seasons, before ultimately transferring to Roma in 2024. He presently has 14 caps for France.
Alongside Kone, Arsenal are understood to be weighing up other midfield options, including Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi.
