EXCLUSIVE: Kouadio Kone set for €40m Premier League move

Jacque Talbot

• Updated: 3 Mar 2023 16:20 GMT
• 3 min read

Exclusive

Kouadio Kone is expected to leave Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer and the Premier League is the most probable destination, FootballTransfers can confirm.

Although there have been reports that the Frenchman’s asking price has been slashed to €30 million, we are informed that owing to the number of interested suitors, the purported amount would be an absolute bare minimum to see him depart Borussia-Park. As reported previously, the side’s valuation remains to close to €40m.

But FootballTransfers understands that Gladbach are looking to offload the youngster in the upcoming window as their big summer sale and that it is unlikely that any rival German side will make a move for him, leaving the door open for a Premier League club to come in and bid.

Sources have told us that Nicolas Seiwald’s move to RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg means they don’t have the funds to generate such a move, while the position is now filled.

Bayern Munich are well stacked with Konrad Laimer, Leon Goretzka, Ryan Gravenberch and Joshua Kimmich. Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund have Daichi Kamada, currently at Eintracht Frankfurt, lined up and will find a replacement for Jude Bellingham should the England international depart this summer - likely to Liverpool, we are told. The Japan international will be a direct Mahmoud Dahoud replacement and if Bellingham leaves, they will look for an additional player to be put in the double-pivot

Gladbach are not enjoying a good 2023 - their 4-0 humbling to Mainz was a particular nadir.

Kone, like the rest of his team-mates, has not been at his best but his price still remains unmoved owing to the tremendously high ceiling the midfielder possesses.

As we exclusively revealed, Liverpool have Kone on their list of targets ahead of the summer. The player does not represent a priority signing but he is being followed.

Newcastle had looked at the midfielder last year and the 21-year-old is still of interest, but there have been no proposals at this stage.

Liverpool's centre-back targets

FootballTransfers exclusively revealed tthat Liverpool had drawn up a list of centre-back targets for the summer.

The number one player is RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, who is hugely admired by the Reds' recruitment. We also revealed their interest in Antonio Silva of Benfica, Goncalo Inacio of Sporting Lisbon and Jarrad Branthwaite, who’s on loan at PSV Eindhoven from Everton.

A report from Goal on Wednesday confirmed these names - while including Levi Colwil of Brigthon, Perr Schuurs at Torino and Nayef Aguerd, who plays for West Ham.

Sources reiterated the defenders we previously reported remain the priorities, however.