Mbappe’s tip fails as Chelsea’s £60m Manu Kone deal collapses

Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe advised Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso to pursue Roma midfielder Manu Kone, leading to a £60million (€70m) agreement before the transfer deadline. Chelsea had targeted Kone after Enzo Fernandez’s £125million move to Manchester City, also seeking Lamine Camara from Monaco to bolster a midfield hit by Romeo Lavia’s long‑term injury and Moises Caicedo’s recent form dip. However, Roma blocked Kone’s departure because they could not find a suitable replacement, having failed to sign Youssouf Fofana from AC Milan and Pierre‑Emile Hojbjerg from Marseille. Personal terms were agreed with Kone, who welcomed the move to Stamford Bridge, but the deal ultimately fell through on deadline day. The collapse leaves Chelsea short of midfield depth for the 2026‑27 season, raising questions about Alonso’s options as the transfer window closes. Will Chelsea look elsewhere for reinforcements, trust their current squad, or adjust tactics to cope with the missing midfield pieces?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/04/transfer-mbappe-convinced-alonso-to-sign-60m-star-for-chelsea/