Manchester United have taken the first step in their bid to win the race to sign French midfielder Manu Koné from Roma, with the player also on Arsenal’s radar.

According to the English newspaper Mirror, Manchester United made the first move and have opened formal talks with Roma over French midfielder Manu Koné, who is valued at €60 million (£51 million).

Manchester United face competition from Arsenal and Liverpool to secure the French star, who impressed with Les Bleus at the 2026 World Cup.

The midfielder proved to be a standout star at the World Cup, prompting many clubs to prepare to sign him during the summer transfer window.

Despite Roma qualifying for the Champions League, they still need to sell some players, and Koné is the top candidate to fetch a large fee, as his impressive World Cup performances have driven up his price.

Some in Italy also believe that Manchester United's withdrawal from the deal for Atalanta's Ederson was because they had identified a new target.

Manchester United have shown great interest in strengthening their midfield this summer, and despite the arrivals of Youri Tielemans and André Santos, they are still looking to add more quality to the midfield. Those two players cost them £85 million, but they appear ready to spend more.