Who is Amadou Kone? The next Caicedo being chased by Man Utd and Liverpool

Amadou Kone is a young midfielder who has attracted transfer attention from both Manchester United and Liverpool – but what are the qualities that have seen Premier League sides drawn towards the Reims star?

Kone is a central midfielder who plays for Ligue 1 side Reims and is likely to be on the move this summer, with Man Utd and Liverpool two of the clubs following the teenage star, according to football transfer news reporter Pete O’Rourke.

A deal in the region of €25 million is expected to prise the player away from his formative side, with the Premier League giants believing he has a huge future in the game.

He will turn 20 on 14 May but has already accumulated significant playing time in France’s top-flight.

What position does Amadou Kone play?

Kone is a central midfielder whose role is typically that of a ball-winning player. But he is not simply a destructive player – he is also capable of using possession well and how shown signs that he will also be able to hold his own as a playmaker.

SciSports compares him favourably to Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo or Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

He is also a stylistically similar player to Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who is someone Man Utd are rumoured to be interested in.

Over the course of the campaign, Kone has earned a starting spot with Reims. Crucially, the decision to appoint Samba Diawara to replace the sacked Luka Elsner in the dugout has brought him more game time.

Season 2024/25 couldn’t be described as a breakout campaign, but he’s certainly hinted towards that with increasingly mature performances.

Kone vs Ligue 1 midfielders: 2024/25 Overall performance

What are Amadou Kone’s strengths and weaknesses?

Technically, Kone is a strong player. He is strong in terms of retaining possession while his dribbling is another solid aspect of his game, data analytics firm SciSports reports.

He is most effective defensively when it comes to breaking up opponents attacking in transition but does not press himself particularly well. This would raise some doubts over his suitability to Man Utd and Liverpool.

How good is Amadou Kone?

Kone is a player who has shown signs of rapid improvement this season but would be signed as a player for the future by the top Premier League clubs.

SciSports believes he could one day become a first-team starter at Man Utd but doubts are raised over whether he can ultimately break into the ultra-competitive Liverpool midfield.

Conclusion

Although Kone is clearly a player with a high potential, there are real questions over whether he will one day be good enough for Liverpool. Even at Man Utd, it may take him some time to make a real impact.

Judging player potential is a tricky business, but his proposed transfer fee of €25m looks much too steep to make this look a good signing for the moment.