Manu Koné returned to watch a match from the bench for the first time in seven months.
In March, Claudio Ranieri surprisingly decided not to rely on the Frenchman for the second leg of the match against Athletic Club.
Similarly, Didier Deschamps decided to leave him out against Azerbaijan, but the number 13 will most likely return to the starting lineup against Iceland.
Tomorrow he’ll face Albert Gudmundsson and his teammates, then return to the capital to prepare for the match against Inter, the very team that had long pursued him this summer.
“I spoke to Gasperini about it, but I’ve decided to stay in Rome. As long as I wear this shirt, I’ll do it 100%. The Giallorossi were the only ones who believed in me last summer,” this is how Manu Koné described the interest from Christian Chivu’s team to Corriere dello Sport.
The Giallorossi number 17 wasn’t considered unsellable, but the Friedkins, seeing the discontent in the fans, have closed the deal.
The potential replacement would have been Magassa, acquired from West Ham by Monaco, who isn’t excelling in the Premier League.
The upcoming World Cup could skyrocket the Roma midfielder’s value, which would represent a significant capital gain for the Giallorossi coffers.
Now is not the time to think about the future, but rather to look at the present: Koné is among the best ball-winners in the squad, behind only Gianluca Mancini, and is third in Serie A for duels won with 42.
Only Nico Paz and Genoa’s Masini are better than him.
So far, however, the 2001-born player has shown little composure in front of goal.
Both on and off the pitch, he’s becoming a fan favorite, writes Il Messaggero. His corner-flag celebrations in derbies, like the last one where he took Lazio’s and put on his Roma jersey, are heating things up like never before.
