Barcelona and Chelsea were also interested in signing 18-year-old Malian midfield prodigy Sekou Kone before Manchester United secured his services.
According to a report by Graeme Bailey on HITC, Sekou Kone is on the verge of joining Manchester United from Guidars FC before the summer transfer window shuts down. However, Barcelona and Chelsea were also keen on signing the 18-year-old midfield prodigy before the Red Devils secured the agreement to land him.
Who is Sekou Kone?
Sekou Kone is the latest highly-rated African prodigy to rise in prominence. The continent is producing several promising prospects, with the last few months witnessing the advent of Bilal El Khannouss, Lamine Camara, and Karim Konate, among others.
As for Kone, he has spent his formative years in his homeland and currently turns out for Guidars FC. The 18-year-old was exceptional for Mali during the under-17 Africa Cup of Nations, with his exploits alerting high-profile clubs across Europe. Barcelona, Chelsea, and Manchester United have been some of his prospective suitors in the summer transfer window.
Europe beckons
Barcelona and Chelsea aggressively scour the global market for the brightest young prospects. Recent reports have linked the Blaugrana with several highly-rated prodigies, including Mattia Liberali. However, Kone was also a viable target for Barcelona in the summer transfer window amid the never-ending search for the ideal Sergio Busquets successor.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s interest in Sekou Kone is understandable. While the 18-year-old African prodigy could have become the umpteenth victim of the West London club’s infamous hoarding policy, he fits the modus operandi at Stamford Bridge. Recent reports have linked Chelsea with several prodigies, including Gabriel Mec.
However, Barcelona and Chelsea have lost the race to secure Sekou Kone’s services to Manchester United. The Red Devils have already sealed the agreement to sign the Malian midfield sensation. The teenage wonderkid will become the latest young prospect to join Manchester United this summer, with Chido Obi-Martin also set to arrive at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, other high-profile clubs like AS Monaco, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and Juventus were also interested in signing Kone from Guidars FC. However, the 18-year-old African prodigy is on the verge of sealing the move to Manchester United.
