Inter pull off a surprise move to sign Manu Koné: two names on offer to Roma to get the deal off the ground

Manu Koné, signed in the summer of 2024 for just under €20 million and under contract until June 2029, is regarded as a highly prized asset by the Friedkin family, and a potential sale at the end of this season would only be approved if Inter or other interested parties were to come forward with a truly substantial offer. In recent days, La Gazzetta dello Sport reported an estimated sale price in the region of €40–50 million. A sum that might not make a dent in the financial balance sheets of the ultra-wealthy Premier League clubs, but which, from the perspective of Inter and its owners, the US-based Oaktree fund, continues to represent a mountain that is difficult to scale and reach. Unless...

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One idea that could come back into favour is to put forward a player swap that Roma would welcome, thereby reducing the cash outlay that President Marotta and sporting director Ausilio would need to offer to secure the services of the talented midfielder, born in 2001, whom Chivu has identified as the player needed to bring greater structure and physical strength to the midfield. Davide Frattesi and Carlos Augusto are the two names the Giallorossi might consider should they be open to discussing technical exchanges in the Manu Koné deal. The former has been on his way out of Inter for a couple of transfer windows now and has seen his playing time steadily decrease (this season he has made 29 appearances, mostly as a substitute), as well as being a favourite of the Roma management, who would welcome him back with open arms after his time in the youth setup.

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The Brazilian full-back, who can also play as the left-back in a three-man defence, has for some time had a contract renewal offer on the table from Inter worth around €3.5 million. This move is designed to address the possibility of losing Alessandro Bastoni, who is being courted by Barcelona, but has not yet sparked the desired interest. Carlos Augusto would, in fact, like to see his request to earn €4 million net met, but above all he is pushing to enjoy a more prominent role and a greater ‘guarantee’ of a starting place next season than he has experienced during his time with the Nerazzurri. Roma, looking for both solid options for their defence and a left-back – with the likely departure of the underwhelming Tsimikas and Wesley’s return to the right – could offer all of this.

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Here, then, is a potential two-way deal which, on the one hand, would allow Inter to clear the way for their first-choice signing to bolster the midfield without having to spend a large chunk of their budget on a single player, whilst on the other, Roma would cash in by still securing a substantial fee from Koné’s sale and, at the same time, plug another gap with the arrival of a welcome new signing, in midfield should the choice fall on Frattesi, or in defence and on the left flank should the Carlos Augusto option prevail.