Milan Reignite Interest in Old Midfield Target

Milan must cast a wider net to reinforce Paulo Fonseca’s midfield department after their pursuit of Youssouf Fofana hit a standstill. According to Calciomercato, Borussia Monchengladbach star Emmanuel Kone is again on Geoffrey Moncada’s shortlist.

Despite agreeing on personal terms with Fofana, Milan cannot find common ground with Monaco. Reluctant to go beyond the €14 million mark for the player, whose contract expires next summer, the Italian giants seem destined to miss out on the Frenchman’s signature.

Manchester United’s interest in the 25-year-old further complicates the club’s hopes of taking the former Strasbourg midfielder to Serie A. As a result, Milan have rekindled their interest in Kone. Moncada tried to sign the Gladbach man in January 2021.

However, Milan failed to strike a deal with Toulouse, resulting in Kone’s switch to the Bundesliga. Kone has continued to impress in Germany’s top-flight, showcasing outstanding physical attributes and technical qualities to earn a place in France’s 2024 Olympic Games squad coached by Thiery Henry.

Though Kone could be an exciting option for Milan, it’s mind-boggling that they’ve turned their attention to him, considering Gladbach won’t cut him loose for less than €20m. That’s a best-case scenario, with several top European clubs also vying for his services.

If Milan deemed Monaco’s identical demands for Fofana excessive, it’s hard to expect them to negotiate Kone’s arrival at similar terms. With mercato reaching the tipping point and the club unable to strengthen the squad, fans are losing patience.