Roma say Manu Koné is still their player, and Gian Piero Gasperini has pushed back on the idea that a sale is close. The AS Roma boss said the club have received no formal offer, while Chelsea have been reported in Italy as being close to agreeing a deal.

Roma's position on the deal

Speaking to Metro, Gasperini said: “Absolutely not, it is a media thing. I know nothing about it,” before adding, “I also know the owners do not want to sell.” He then made the key point even more directly: “I don’t know who approached us, but we have not received any formal offers for him.”

That is the strongest line in the story, because it cuts across the more bullish reports from Sky in Italy. One report has Chelsea close to a deal, while another version of the same chase has the club discussing a £52m fee and Roma holding back. The two accounts do not line up neatly, but the public message from Rome is clear enough: no formal offer, no green light.

Roma's stance is also backed by timing. Gasperini said the club need to complete their squad, especially with Champions League football ahead, and added that there is not much time left in the window. That is a club speaking about depth, not one preparing to lose a midfielder it wants to keep.

Chelsea's wider midfield planning

Chelsea's interest in Koné sits inside a broader reshuffle. Sky Sports reported that Enzo Fernández is being linked with Manchester City, while Jamie Gittens has been discussed as a possible loan move in the other direction. Gasperini's line about Roma needing more options lands harder when that wider market noise is taken into account.

The numbers around those other names also help frame Chelsea's thinking. Fernández has a 7.05 rating this season, while Gittens has no Premier League appearances this season. That points to a club still adjusting pieces rather than one settled on a single transfer path.

Roma, though, are not behaving like a selling club. They finished third in Serie A last season, and Gasperini's comments suggest they see Koné as part of the group they want to keep together rather than a player to move on at the end of August.

Chelsea may still test that position before the window shuts, but the latest public response is Roma's, not theirs. The club says no formal offer has arrived for Koné, and Gasperini has made it plain they do not want to sell.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →