Manchester United are tracking AS Roma midfielder Manu Kone, with Italian reports claiming the 25-year-old could be available for around €50m this summer.

Interest from the Red Devils has been simmering since December, when Italian media first predicted Kone would end up at Old Trafford. Now, with Roma needing to sell and the player impressing at the World Cup, a deal looks more realistic.

Why are Manchester United interested in Manu Kone?

United see Kone as a cheaper alternative to Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni. The Frenchman's performances at the World Cup — he played both as a number six and a number eight — have caught the eye of scouts.

He's physical, good at beating the press, and could slot into the deeper midfield role United desperately need to fill. Andrey Santos and Ederson aren't natural number sixes, but Kone could do the job.

What is Roma's asking price?

La Repubblica, via RivistaLaRoma, say Roma need a €50m offer to start talks. Corriere dello Sport agree on the valuation. That's a jump from the €40m some reports suggested in June, when Roma were under pressure to sell before June 30 to satisfy UEFA FFP rules.

But Roma have since negotiated a new settlement with UEFA, easing the urgency. The price has crept up as Kone's World Cup stock rose.

Could a deal happen this summer?

It's possible. United are one of several clubs monitoring the situation — Arsenal and Chelsea have also made contact. But the Red Devils have a clear need for a midfielder who can sit deep and break up play.

With Benjamin Šeško and Manuel Ugarte currently sidelined, depth is a concern. United finished 3rd in the Premier League with 71 points, 14 behind leaders Arsenal, and are on a four-game winning run after beating Brighton 3-0 on May 24. Their next fixture is a home friendly against Wrexham on July 18.

Kone wouldn't come cheap, but at €50m he's far less expensive than Tchouameni. For a club that scored 69 goals but conceded 50 last season, adding a defensive-minded midfielder makes sense.