2K1G1JG MONCHENGLADBACH - Manu Kone of Borussia Monchengladbach during the German Bundesliga match between Borussia M?nchengladbach and RB Leipzig at the Borussia- Park stadium on September 17, 2022 in Monchengladbach, Germany. ANP | Dutch Height | Gerrit van Keulen

Liverpool ‘informed’ of Manu Kone price tag as ‘talks take place’

Liverpool have been ‘informed’ of how much it would cost to prise the young French midfielder, Manu Kone, away from his current club.

It was reported in Germany this week that Liverpool have contacted Borussia Monchengladbach over Kone’s availability, and now a price tag for the 22-year-old appears to have been confirmed.

With SPORT BILD‘s initial report claiming that Gladbach are likely to start negotiations at £35 million, another journalist has backed the story up.

Fabrizio Romano said that “talks took place this week,” and that he “could be available” for a fee in the region of £30 million to £35 million.

He added: “Gladbach are prepared to let him leave for that fee. [The] Reds are] working to complete [the Alexis] Mac Allister deal, then Kone’s also in the list.”

Liverpool’s interested is described by SPORT BILD as “big,” and though Kone’s contract runs to 2025 with an option to extend for a further 12 months, Gladbach “need quick income” and it is “already clear that he will leave.”

With the Reds’ new sporting director, Jorg Schmadtke, now officially in place, we can expect to see transfer negotiations accelerate.

The Bundesliga is Schmadtke’s area of expertise, but Liverpool’s reported enquiries for Kone happened before he had even been appointed, signalling the Reds are ready to move on from previous targets such as Mason Mount.

Kone can play deeper than Mount, offering perhaps more versatility as a box-to-box player.

He is also a part of the France U21 setup and is rated highly in Germany.

2PNWX9G Nice, France. 20th Apr, 2023. Khephren Thuram of Nice during the UEFA Europa Conference League, Quarter-finals, 2nd leg football match between OGC Nice (OGCN) and FC Basel 1893 on April 20, 2023 at Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, France - Photo Jean Catuffe/DPPI Credit: DPPI Media/Alamy Live News

His compatriot, Khephren Thuram, has also been linked with a move to Merseyside.

GOAL’s Neil Jones has said Liverpool are “definitely interested” in him, while French newspaper L’Equipe report that the Reds have been in contact with his club, OGC Nice, “for a few weeks.”

Both Kone and Thuram would be good options for Liverpool moving forward, but the former may come as the cheaper of the two.