‘No offers’: President plays down Leeds United links with £14m man

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Toulouse received “zero offers” for Manu Kone despite speculation linking the £14 million-rated midfielder with Leeds United, club president Damien Comolli has told 20Minutes.

If director of football Victor Orta has made signing hungry young talent from mainland Europe his trademark since arriving at Elland Road three years ago, Kone is as typical an ‘Orta signing’ as it’s possible to imagine.

The France youth star is only 19 but is already one of the first names on the Toulouse team sheet.

In fact, Kone has started every one of his side’s six Ligue 2 games this season, with his all-action performances catching the eye of Marcelo Bielsa’s top-flight newcomers.

Last month, RMC Sport reported Leeds had opened talks over a deal that would set one of the Premier League’s biggest-spending sides back a further £14 million.

But, with Kone now destined to spend the next three months at least in the French second tier, Comolli suggests his teen sensation wasn’t as close to leaving as some suggested.

“I had zero offers, despite the articles I read,” says the former Tottenham chief when asked about Kone. “We were not trying to make a transfer for Manu.”

With Toulouse winning just one of their first six games in 2020/21, under-fire coach Patrice Garande will be thrilled to see Kone stay put.

“He is a boy who has enormous potential,” Garande told Les Violets last week.