Who is Manu Kone? The young ball-winner to strengthen Liverpool's midfield

 

Liverpool aren't resting on their laurels when it comes to improving in the midfield. Missing out on Jude Bellingham was a blow, but they are not allowing the failure to land the teenager to impact their transfer window. Indeed, Alexis Mac Allister is expected to join the Reds before too long, and there are other targets on there that Liverpool can pursue in a bid to strengthen. 

 

Nice star Khephren Thuram reportedly remains high on the priority list, while Gladbach's Manu Kone is another young French midfielder to have been linked with a move to Anfield this summer. The 22-year-old was virtually an ever-present in the Gladbach midfield last season, starting 30 of 34 league matches as the Foals ultimately flattered to decieve and finished 10th. 

 

Gladbach are a side that will look very different next season with Ramy Bensebaini and Marcus Thuram departing this summer, and Kone could be another to follow the pair out of the Borussia-Park exit. However, the difference is that while the German side will lose the former duo on a free, they can command a hefty fee for the latter, with a €40m asking price supposedly set. 

 

The summer is going to be a busy one for the Reds as they seek to revamp their aging midfield, and they have been linked with a host of central midfielders in a bid to strengthen in such a key area. Finding the right players to match the system in place on Merseyside is vital, and the prolonged, albeit futile, pursuit of Bellingham gave an indication on the type of player they were seeking to help drive Liverpool forward in the middle of the park. 

 

Kone's skill set, though, is not too dissimilar to Bellingham's, so making a move for the former as an alternative for the latter shouldn't come as a surprise. Both share similar characteristics in that they are hard workers off the ball and willing runners when in possession to help set their side on the frontfoot. 

 

In terms of the latter, of the 53 players to attempt 50 or more dribbles, Bellingham had the best dribble success rate (67.2%) in the Bundesliga last season, a metric that Kone ranked seventh for (60%). The difference in success rate is relatively negligble, but what does stand out more is that Bellingham (128) attempted more dribbles than Kone (95) in Germany's top tier last term, with the England international far more willing to chance his luck at beating an opponent. 

 

Now this may be down to Dortmund's gameplan by comparison to Gladbach's, yet the confidence with which to carry possession upfield is another reason why Bellingham is so highly thought of by Europe's elite. However, Liverpool did see more of the ball in the Premier League last season than Gladbach managed in the Bundesliga, so Kone would likely have more opportunities to help the Reds transition from defence to attack on Merseyside than he did with the German outfit last term. 

 

In terms of their work without the ball, both players put in similar numbers for their respective sides last season. Indeed, Kone and Bellingham rank joint-15th for tackles per 90 (2.5), though the Dortmund star does boast a marginally better tackle success rate (81.7%) than his Gladbach counterpart (76.3%). In addition, Kone won possession in the midfield third 109 times in the Bundesliga, that ranking 10th, two more than 11th-placed Bellingham. With such striking similarities, it's no wonder the Reds have identified Kone as a potential target with Bellingham now out of reach. 

 

However, what does weigh against Kone is the lack of progression when it comes to making the forward passes. Kone averaged just 0.7 key passes per 90 last night, and was directly involved in just two goals, scoring one. Bellingham by comparison made 1.1 key passes per 90, and was directly involved in 12 goals, scoring eight. This isn't a stick with which to beat Kone, but rather there are clear differences between the pair in the final third that Liverpool fans would have to accept if the Reds were to firm up their interest. 

 

 

In terms of recyling possession, though, Kone does do this to a good standard, as is to be expected from any ball winning midfielder, having returned an 87.5% pass success rate in 2022/23, so while he won't offer much in the final third, Liverpool would at least have a player capable of shifting the ball onto the creative outlets to do what they do best. 

 

One clear weakness of Kone's though is his ill-discipline with the Gladbach man booked 12 times in the Bundesliga last season; no player received more. However, this can be put down to inexperience and youthful exuberance combined with the position he plays, traits that will be ironed out with the right coaching. 

 

Kone, then, is very much a diamond in the rough, but one that can be smoothed out in the right environment under the right manager. Making the step up from Gladbach to Liverpool would take the right mentality, but under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp, Kone could become a star on Merseyside.

Who is Manu Kone? The young ball-winner to strengthen Liverpool's midfield