Patrice Evra believes that France midfielder Manu Kone has 'all the tools' to impress at Arsenal should Mikel Arteta make a move for the World Cup star. The Gunners have made it a clear priority to bolster their options in central midfield as they prepare to try and defend the Premier League title next season.
Arsenal's midfield targets
Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali were both linked with a move to the Emirates, but the pair have instead decided to join Tottenham. Arsenal have also been credited with interest in Bruno Guimaraes, with the north London club expected to return with a second bid for the Brazilian after Newcastle United rejected a £55million offer for their club captain.
But former Manchester United defender Evra believes the Gunners should instead target a move for Kone, who has played a crucial role in helping France reach the World Cup quarter-finals. Reports in Italy before the tournament suggested Arsenal had already agreed personal terms with Kone, with Roma set to demand at least €50million (£43m) for the midfielder.
Evra's endorsement
'I like Manu Kone's profile for the Premier League,' Evra told Stake. 'He has energy, he carries the ball, he likes duels and he works for the team. Those things matter in England. The Premier League is faster. You don't get time to breathe. So the important thing is adaptation. Don't judge him after five games. If he goes to Arsenal with a manager who knows how to use him, I think he can do well. He has the tools. Then it is about consistency.'
Vieira's praise
Elsewhere, former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira has been keen to sing Kone's praises, labelling him the 'best midfielder in France'. Speaking on ITV earlier in the World Cup, Vieira said: 'He has come into the World Cup with a couple of injuries and it has been a quite difficult season for him. But he is for me, the best midfielder in France today. I would put him ahead of Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot because he has got this mobility to move around the pitch. He is aggressive, he is a ball winner and he has got this technical ability to be part of the build-up. He can break lines and play forward.'
Kone's focus
Kone was asked about the intense speculation over his future ahead of France's World Cup opener against Senegal and said he was keen to remain 'exclusively focused' on his commitments with Les Bleus. 'Honestly, right now I'm only thinking about the World Cup,' Kone said. 'It's my first major international competition, a tournament I've always dreamed of playing in. I want to remain exclusively focused on this. We'll talk about the future after the World Cup and see what happens.'
