Man Utd add unexpected World Cup star to transfer shortlist after dream target move collapses

INEOS are conducting a transformative summer at Manchester United, and an unexpected target has been added to Michael Carrick's shortlist.

It's been almost a month since the transfer window opened, and unsurprisingly, itbusy period for the Red Devils as they aim to build a squad that can compete across fronts next season.

Carrick's main focus so far has been on overhauling his midfield following Casemiro's departure and Manuel Ugarte's serious knee injury.

United tied up a £35million deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta at the start of last month, with only a medical standing in the way of him moving to the Premier League following Brazil's elimination from the World Cup.

The Champions League outfit want to add more than just Ederson to their ranks, though, and it was revealed on Wednesday that Man United have agreed to capture Andrey Santos from Chelsea for £50m.

Santos is now preparing to undergo a medical before joining his Brazilian teammate at Old Trafford, and the 22-year-old isn't the only midfielder Carrick has his eyes on.

According to TEAMtalk, the 20-time Premier League champions are plotting a move for Roma star Manu Kone after being informed that he would like to test himself in England's top flight.

Crucially, the report claims that the Serie A giants are willing to sell their defensive midfield machine for around £50m, with the 25-year-old emerging as a possible option after they missed out on 'dream target' Aurelien Tchouameni.

The Real Madrid midfielder, who has played with Kone for France at the World Cup, was high on the list of targets, but news of him signing a new six-year contract at Los Blancos has quashed any chances of that happening.

Sharing similar ball-winning and ball-carrying attributes to the Madrid star, Kone could be a more cost-effective option, and his performances at the World Cup have arguably piqued interest in his signature.

The 17-cap France international made 37 appearances in all competitions last season as Roma qualified for the Champions League, but an opportunity to join Manchester United could be impossible for him to turn down.

Didier Deschamps thinks Manu Kone is 'underrated'

Kone was instrumental in Roma's success last season, utilising his defensive midfield attributes to earn a call-up to Didier Deschamps' World Cup squad.

He ranked in the top 15% of Serie A players last term for recoveries and top 19% for tackles, according to FotMob, as he demonstrated his physically imposing stature to dominate in midfield.

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United are crying out for someone to protect their defence next season, and Kone - who was described as 'underrated' by Deschamps last year - could be the perfect option.

"I repeat: Manu Koné is underrated,” the France boss said last year.

“He’s coming off a very good season with Roma, and he’s becoming increasingly important with us with each training session.”

“He’s very effective at winning the ball back, but he shouldn’t be limited to that role of defensive midfielder, because he also makes a difference in his use of the ball.”

Kone provided five goal involvements in Serie A, reinforcing the point that he isn't just a protective shield, but capable of making an impact at the top end of the pitch.