Arsenal is interested in a World Cup star who has been praised by Thierry Henry and called ‘one of the best midfielders’ in Europe.
Arsenal are reportedly interested in a French international who Gunners legend Thierry Henry once called “one of the best.” After winning the Premier League for the first time in 22 years in the 2025/26 season, manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta are already looking for players to help strengthen the squad for their title defense.
The Gunners have been linked with three wingers so far: Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, Club Brugge’s Christos Tzolis, and Real Sociedad’s Ander Barrenetxea. This comes as Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are expected to leave the club this summer. They are also keen on Aston Villa and England attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers, with Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as another option.
Arsenal have asked about Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, but the Serie A club reportedly turned down their offers.
Now, French newspaper L’Equipe says Arsenal are interested in a highly rated holding midfielder who could be a great partner for Declan Rice in midfield. They might make a €40 million (£35.5 million) bid for Roma and France midfielder Manu Koné, who has impressed since moving from Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2024.
Italian reports suggest Roma might have to sell Koné to follow UEFA’s Financial Fair Play rules, even though the club wants to keep him. Koné, who has a contract until 2029, did well during his loan at Roma in 2024/25 before making his move permanent. He played 37 games last season, scoring two goals and helping with three assists as Roma finished third and qualified for the Champions League.
His strong performances earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps’ 26-man World Cup squad. Koné has 14 caps and will be part of France’s tournament opener against Senegal on June 16. He also played for France’s Olympic team coached by Henry, winning silver at the 2024 Paris Games.
Before the tournament, Henry told SPORTbible he highly rates Koné, calling him “one of the best holding midfielders out there.” Henry said, “He’s quietly going about his career. From Mönchengladbach to Roma, now he’s a starter for France because Deschamps trusts him. People don’t talk about him much, but he’s solid and plays at a top level.”
Henry added that while other players in the French team get more attention, Koné is a very strong and reliable player who deserves more recognition.