Mali: Sékou Koné, the phenomenon who cracked Manchester United

1 month ago 13
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Sékou Koné, this name may not mean anything to you and yet, he is one of the sensations of African football at the moment. Scouts and recruiters discovered this nugget during the U17 World Cup with Mali. This young 18-year-old midfielder shone during the competition and greatly contributed to the 3rd place snatched by his selection in this World Cup with a clear 3-0 victory against Argentina. In this match, the nugget of Guidars FC in Mali, shone by delivering an assist but above all by being in all the good offensive and defensive moves of his team.

He was thus the player who won the most duels (14 duels out of 18 won), who made the most passes (34), who made the most dribbles (6) and who created the most chances (3). Just that. Performances that clearly did not go unnoticed since several European scouts had started to discuss with the Guidars FC academy. Among them, Manchester United seemed to be the club most interested in the file. After having discussed for a long time with the English club, the native of Bamako finally decided to accept the proposal.

A little over 1 million for Guidars FC

The Red Devils will therefore be buying the 18-year-old player in the coming weeks. For this, the Manchester management will pay 1 million euros, not including bonuses based on the player’s performance. A huge jackpot for the Malian academy, which is becoming a reference for European clubs. Recently, Guidars FC sent three players to Red Bull Salzburg, namely Mamady Diambou (18 years old), Nene Bitra Dorgeless (18 years old) and Daouda Guindo (18 years old). For Ligue 1 regulars, Guidars FC has also trained Sinaly Diomandé and Habib Keita from OL.

Sékou Koné is expected in the coming days in Manchester to undergo his medical examination. He will then be gradually integrated into the first team according to needs, even if he arrives first for the U21 team. In recent months, the Mancunians have wanted to secure the future by betting on youngsters with very high potential. In this sense, the young Arsenal U18 striker Chido Obi Martin should also arrive at United. In any case, Sékou Koné, renowned for his great technical and passing quality, is likely to quickly make people talk about him. And now, you won’t be able to say that you didn’t know him…

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Manu Tournoux

Manu Tournoux is a passionate and knowledgeable football enthusiast with a special focus on French football. Born and raised in France, Manu discovered his love for the beautiful game at a young age and developed a deep understanding of the ins and outs of "Le Championnat." His French roots and extensive experience in football journalism have made him an invaluable asset to the French Football Weekly team.
 
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