According to Foot Mercato, Alonso sought advice from Mbappe before approving Chelsea’s offer for the France international midfielder.
Chelsea had identified Kone as a potential midfield target following Enzo Fernandez’s decision to leave Stamford Bridge. The French midfielder had attracted interest from several Premier League clubs after two impressive seasons in Italy and further enhanced his reputation during the World Cup with France.
Reports on transfer deadline day suggested that Chelsea were close to completing a deal for Kone, but the move ultimately fell through, leaving him at Roma.
Foot Mercato reported that Alonso, keen to strengthen his midfield following Fernandez’s departure, consulted Mbappe about his French teammate.
Mbappe reportedly gave Kone a highly favourable recommendation, after which Chelsea reached an agreement with Roma over a €70 million (£60 million) transfer fee — a figure higher than the expected asking price.
Chelsea also reportedly agreed personal terms with Kone, who was said to be keen on moving to Stamford Bridge.
However, Roma eventually blocked the transfer after failing to secure a suitable replacement for the midfielder. The Italian club had attempted to sign Youssouf Fofana from AC Milan and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Marseille but were unable to complete either deal.
Chelsea also failed in their attempt to sign Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara, while Fernandez was allowed to join Manchester City for a reported £125 million.
The failure to land Kone and Camara could leave Chelsea short of midfield options this season, particularly with Romeo Lavia facing long-term injury concerns and Moises Caicedo also dealing with recent fitness issues.
Post a Comment