Patience is a virtue in the transfer market, but it is a currency that rarely buys you a clear answer. For those monitoring the situation of Manu Kon?...
Patience is a virtue in the transfer market, but it is a currency that rarely buys you a clear answer. For those monitoring the situation of Manu Koné, the Roma and France midfielder who has caught the eye of both Arsenal and Inter Milan, the waiting game has just been given a definitive deadline. GoalZaza understands that the player himself has drawn a line in the sand, insisting that any serious conversation about his club future will only take place after this winter's World Cup.Let's be honest about what this means. It is a sensible, almost old school approach in an era where deals are sometimes cooked up over WhatsApp groups before a ball is even kicked in a pre season friendly. Koné is essentially telling the suitors, and more importantly his current employers at the Stadio Olimpico, that he has a job to do first. There is something refreshing about a player who refuses to let the noise of a potential move destabilise his focus on the biggest stage of all. For Arsenal, who are crying out for a midfield presence that can break lines and disrupt a low block, or for Inter, who are in constant need of legs and tactical flexibility in the middle of the park, this message is a firm 'hold your horses'.The Frenchman's logic is sound. A strong tournament in Qatar not only elevates his stock but also clarifies his own footballing standing. Does he want to be the marquee signing in a rebuild at the Emirates, or does he see himself slotting into Simone Inzaghi's system of transitional play and clinical counters Those are questions for January or next summer. For now, he is a Roma player, and his mind is on Didier Deschamps' squad. It puts the onus on the directors in north London and Milan to run their scouting reports one more time and decide if he is worth the wait. But make no mistake, this is a power play from a player who knows his worth. He has the clubs in the mixer, and he holds the cards. The World Cup will decide the next move.
