Sekou Kone nightmare loan has left United scratching their heads

Manchester United’s decision to send academy prodigy Sekou Kone to INEOS-owned FC Lausanne-Sport has quickly turned from a calculated step in his development into a puzzle the club are struggling to solve. The 20-year-old Mali U23 international, who had dazzled the Swiss Super League side during a month-long trial, has managed just ten minutes of competitive football since his winter move and has been left out of Lausanne’s UEFA Conference League squad entirely.

United’s coaching staff had earmarked European exposure as a cornerstone of the loan, believing regular minutes against continental opposition would accelerate Kone’s readiness for first-team football at Old Trafford. Instead, the midfielder has watched two matches from the bench and seen his name omitted from the squad list for the club’s upcoming European fixtures, prompting bewilderment among Old Trafford officials.

Privately, United sources tell The Peoples Person that the omission undercuts the primary objective of the transfer. When Kone’s loan was rubber-stamped, staff feedback from Lausanne’s training ground lauded his “overwhelmingly positive” physical impact in early sessions. That optimism has now been tempered by a reality in which competitive opportunities remain scarce.

The move had already been delayed once—originally pencilled in for last summer before a late U-turn—and Kone’s subsequent eye injury further stalled his progress. Although Ruben Amorim included the youngster in three senior matchday squads last season, a debut never materialised, and the winter window was viewed as a reset button.

United remain hopeful the 20-year-old can still salvage the stint, using the setback as a developmental lesson rather than a roadblock. Lausanne-Sport declined to comment when approached by Confidential, leaving United to monitor from afar and trust that Kone’s undeniable raw talent will eventually translate into the game time they envisaged when the deal was struck.