Romano announces Man Utd signing that is '100% agreed and done'

Tom Weber

• Updated: 23 Aug 2024 11:07 BST
• 3 min read

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Manchester United are '100 per cent' signing Mali wonderkid Sekou Kone, according to Fabrizio Romano.

On Thursday night, surprise links between the Red Devils and the 18-year-old midfielder emerged. On Friday morning, the deal is done. At least that is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

A defensive midfielder by trade, Kone still plays in his native Mali, with outfit Guidars FC. What likely caught Man Utd's attention were Kone's standout performances for his country at the U17 World Cup last year.

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According to Romano, who broke the story, Man Utd are ready to pay a fee in the region of €1.2 million for Kone, with the player set to have his medical next week after which all the necessary paperwork will be completed.

The deal to sign the 18-year-old is '100 per cent agreed and done,' the Italian transfer guru states.

Kone to Man Utd done

Romano reports that the signing of Kone is seen internally as being similar to the impending arrival of Chido Obi-Martin. The 16-year-old striker is set to sign for Man Utd from Arsenal with the deal already done for a couple of weeks and only awaiting Premier League approval.

The young Danish striker is widely regarded as one of the biggest talents in England after coming off a 32-goal season with Arsenal's U18s. Man Utd believe that they have landed a real coup and Kone is being deemed a similarly smart deal.

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New part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe announced earlier this year that Man Utd will look to sign generational talents before they get big to avoid shelling out exorbitant fees on established stars.

Ratcliffe used Kylian Mbappe as an example, saying that the Red Devils would no longer sign players like the Frenchman but would instead try to unearth the 'next Kylian Mbappe.'