Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Kouadio Kone has reportedly emerged as a potential transfer target for Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.
The German outfit are already facing the prospect of losing one of key men this summer with Marcus Thuram due to depart on a free transfer.
However, with a return to European football looking increasingly unlikely, Monchengladbach may struggle to retain the services of some of their other important players.
Kone falls into that bracket having made 53 appearances for the club since his arrival from Toulouse in 2021.
While the combative midfielder has collected nine yellow cards from 23 Bundesliga outings this campaign, he is regarded as an integral part of Daniel Farke's team.
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Holding a contract until 2025, the France Under-21 international may have to wait to secure a switch to a bigger club in the future.
Nevertheless, according to BILD, each of Chelsea and PSG would be open to signing Kone this summer.
Neither team are short of options in that area of the pitch, but it is accepted that major changes could occur at both Stamford Bridge and Parc des Princes from June onwards.
Chelsea have already replaced Jorginho with Enzo Fernandez, but the futures of Mateo Kovacic, Conor Gallagher and Denis Zakaria remain up in the air.
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Meanwhile, PSG are in a position where they have to make player sales and lower their wage in order to meet FFP regulations, leaving open the prospect of at least one of their current seven central midfielders moving elsewhere.
The report claims that Monchengladbach will insist on recouping at least €25m (£21.9m) if they are to sell Kone before the end of August.
When Monchengladbach signed Kone from Toulouse, they committed to paying €9m, but he is now regarded as someone who could represent France at senior level.
Although Kone was born close to Paris, it is suggested that his preference is to sign for a Premier League team if he leaves his current employers.
Darren Plant
