Chelsea suffer major Manu Kone transfer blow as Roma asking price 'skyrockets'

Chelsea have reportedly suffered a significant setback in their pursuit of Roma midfielder Emmanuel Kone, who is now valued at €100m (£86m).

The Blues were strongly linked with a deadline-day move for the France international, who was viewed as one of two ideal Enzo Fernandez replacements alongside Monaco's Lamine Camara.

Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini ultimately blocked Kone from leaving the club in the last knockings of the window, forcing Chelsea to turn their attention to Camara, but a £47m deal for the Senegalese sensationally collapsed at the eleventh hour.

The Blues therefore ended the window without signing a direct Fernandez successor, and as a result, they are expected to reignite their interest in Kone when the January transfer market opens for business.

The midfielder has put the summer saga behind him to start strongly in 2026-27, scoring two goals in six appearances for Roma, both of which came in a 2-2 draw with Inter Milan just before the international break.

Kone has also established himself as a consistent fixture for France, making four starts at the World Cup and playing the full 90 in Friday's 1-0 win over Turkey in the UEFA Nations League.

Chelsea told to pay £86m for Manu Kone?

Kone's continued progression supposedly spells bad news for Chelsea, as Italian outlet Gazzetta now claims that Roma would be looking for £86m to sell the 25-year-old in 2027.

Chelsea failed with a proposal worth €60m (£51.6m) for the France international during the summer window, prior to which Atletico Madrid had a €45m (£38.7m) offer rejected by Roma, whose valuation has now 'skyrocketed'.

Kone still has three years left to run on his contract with Roma, who paid just €18m (£15.5m) to sign the midfielder from Bundesliga club Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2024.

Kone has since produced six goals and six assists in 88 appearances for the Giallorossi in all competitions, while also winning 20 caps for the French national team.

Is Manu Kone worth £86m?

An £86m deal for Kone would make the midfielder Roma's most expensive departure of all time, eclipsing the £62.3m that Liverpool paid to sign goalkeeper Alisson Becker in 2018.

The 25-year-old's contract situation and status as a key member of France's World Cup 2026 squad has done his value no harm whatsoever, nor has the surfeit of big-money midfield deals over the summer.

Man City paid the same amount to sign Ayyoub Bouaddi - who also lacked any Premier League experience - while Fernandez, Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes all moved for similar or higher fees.

Kone has only gone from strength to strength during his two years at Roma, and the Giallorossi are well within their rights to use other mammoth midfield transfers as a benchmark.