Roland Virkus has admitted that Gladbach would not block every potential suitor from taking Manu Kone off their hands.
That being said, the reported Liverpool target – Media Foot (via Sport Witness) previously alleged the Reds interest – won’t be allowed to go to any club that’s willing to stump up a suitable fee to buy him – an offer has to come from an interested party ‘significantly bigger’ than the Bundesliga-based outfit for one.
“I’d be lying if I said we would never sell him. There have already been inquiries for Manu,” the sporting director told Sport Bild (via bulinews.com).
“But we don’t have to sell him yet. Above all: we don’t want to sell him yet.
“The boy must want to take his next step to a club that is significantly bigger than Gladbach. And: we also have to be satisfied.”
At 21 years of age, the Frenchman very much fits the age profile of the kind of player Julian Ward and Co. tend to keep their eye on.
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Another year playing in the German top-flight will provide further experience and likely put the No.17 in the frame of a number of top clubs’ transfer plans ahead of the next summer window – Liverpool potentially included.
With a prospective move for Jude Bellingham looking increasingly pricey, it’s difficult to see us investing another significant fee on a midfielder in the same window.
Gladbach will still have the flexibility to set a notable asking price come 2023, of course, given that Kone’s contract will have two years remaining, which may very well force us in a different direction depending on how negotiations with Borussia Dortmund play out.