Liverpool transfer target dazzles in MOTM performance for France U21s

Liverpool target Manu Kone made a fine start for the French U21 side as he produced a man of the match display as his side earned a 2-1 victory over Italy at the European Championships.

Kone has build a strong reputation as a promising young talent from his time in the Bundesliga and he performed admirably at Borussia Monchengladbach last season, so much so that the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle are pushing to sign the 22-year-old.

The energetic midfielder is a strong ball carrier as well as a ball winner - and both traits were on show during his man of the match display against Italy. During his 85 minute performance, he managed a 90% pass accuracy, 2/2 long ball accuracy, 3/4 successful dribbles, 11/18 duels, 4 clearances and 3 tackles won and 1 interception in a performance that perfectly encapsulates everything that he’s about.

It could be a potential glimpse into the future for Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool who are targeting at least one more midfield addition this summer following their signing of Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister. Reports have linked Kone alongside his national teammate in Khephren Thuram and both players have been reported far more than any other target this summer. However, according to GOAL’s Neil Jones, the Reds are more likely to move for Thuram over Kone.

“Obviously Khephren Thuram and Manu Kone have been mentioned. From my understanding, Thuram is the likeliest out of those – the profile of him, his physique, his age, and the club he’s playing at, the kind of money that would be involved – I think he perfectly fits the bill. It remains to be seen how willing Nice are to let him go, and I think the fact that there looks like a number of midfield players likely to move soon in this market means that Nice might just be waiting to see how the dominos fall, and what kind of price they can get for him.”

Both Thuram and Kone started in midfield during the victory with Lyon’s Maxence Caqueret - another starring young talent - as both combined consistently for an effective performance. Thuram produced a powerful performance and showed he was capable of retaining the ball in close spaces as well as being able to attack the box.

Whereas Kone showcased a calmner demeanour overall, his passing looked superior to that of the Nice midfielder as both of them proved to be a perfect foil for one another. A double swoop for these two talented youngsters would be a real coup for Liverpool, but it remains to be seen if they sign two midfielders rather than the reported one addition that is most likely to occur.