Evan Ndicka and Manu Kone: AS Roma agreement gifts United opening to sign duo

Manchester United’s summer recruitment plans have received an unexpected boost after it emerged that AS Roma must raise at least €60 million through player sales before 30 June to satisfy a prior agreement with UEFA, placing two of the Serie A club’s most coveted assets – Evan Ndicka and Manu Kone – firmly on Old Trafford’s radar.

Roma struck the deal with European football’s governing body three seasons ago, committing to record “at least one significant capital gain” in the current financial year regardless of whether the club qualify for the Champions League. With the deadline looming, the Giallorossi are now obliged to consider offers for any member of their first-team squad, and sources in Italy indicate that Ndicka and Kone have emerged as the most viable candidates for departure.

Ndicka, who arrived in the capital on a free transfer in 2023, has developed into one of Serie A’s most accomplished centre-backs, prompting interest from Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool. Roma initially slapped a €45 million valuation on the Ivory Coast international, but the need for a swift injection of pure profit has seen that asking price drop to between €30 million and €35 million, a reduction that has not gone unnoticed at United.

While midfield reinforcements remain the priority for Erik ten Hag’s side, the club’s recruitment staff have continued to monitor defensive options, and Ndicka’s combination of top-level experience and attainable price tag has elevated him to a serious target. A move for the 24-year-old would also represent a strategic coup, allowing United to steal a march on domestic and European rivals who have tracked the defender for more than a year.

Kone, meanwhile, has emerged as an alternative to the higher-profile midfield names linked with United in recent weeks. Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba have all been mentioned as potential arrivals, yet the 23-year-old Frenchman offers a more cost-effective solution should the club opt for multiple additions to cope with the rigours of an expanded Champions League calendar. United are conscious that competition for Kone’s signature is likely to intensify once the market opens, but Roma’s financial imperative gives them a head-start in negotiations.

Tuttomercatoweb report that Roma are already canvassing potential offers and will listen to proposals for both players during the next ten weeks. Loan deals with options or conditional obligations to buy are expected to dominate the club’s incoming activity, making outright sales of Ndicka and Kone even more attractive to the Serie A side as they scramble to balance the books.

United, currently third in the Premier League and on course for a return to Europe’s elite competition, are preparing for a busy summer window. Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Leeds did little to dent their top-four aspirations – they remain level on points with fourth-placed Aston Villa – yet the club accept that greater depth will be essential if they are to compete on multiple fronts next season.

The confluence of Roma’s financial necessity and United’s squad-building ambitions has created a rare alignment of interests. With time on their side and a seller under pressure, Old Trafford officials are now weighing up formal approaches for both Ndicka and Kone as they look to capitalise on one of the summer’s first genuine opportunities.