West Ham and Marseille join AS Roma in transfer chase for Watford star | OneFootball

Kone is reportedly being tracked by three different clubs ahead of a possible summer move

West Ham United and Olympique de Marseille have reportedly joined the race to sign Watford midfielder Ismael Kone this summer, amid interest from AS Roma.

Italian journalist Matteo Moretto has stated that Kone is one of the most appreciated midfielders in Europe, with all three clubs attentive to his transfer situation this summer.

Moretto's claim was seconded by Fabrizio Romano, who explained that the 22-year-old is on Roma's shortlist for the coming months.

Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport have previously reported that Roma boss Daniele De Rossi has identified the Canadian international as a target to bolster their midfield, but the interest of West Ham and Marseille is a fresh development.

Kone has been a key player for Watford since his arrival from CF Montréal on a four-and-a-half year deal in December 2022, so his signature will likely command a sizable fee with three years still left on his existing deal.

The Hornets would definitely prefer to keep their top talents, but after their disappointing 2023/24 Championship campaign, there may be a need to cash in on another top player - much like last summer when Joao Pedro and Ismaila Sarr both departed.

Ismael Kone was one of Watford's stars in dismal 2023-24 season

Interest in Kone from big clubs will come as no surprise to those that have watched him closely since his arrival at Vicarage Road 18 months ago.

Kone was known as a highly-rated, energetic, box-to-box player during his time at CF Montreal, which prompted the Hornets to fork out a reported fee of around €8-10 million for his signature.

The Hertfordshire outfit have not had a great time of things in the last two campaigns since relegation from the Premier League, coming 11th and 15th respectively, but the 22-year-old has been a bright spark in tough times.

According to FBref, in 2023/24 he was in the 89th percentile for completed live-ball passes that lead to a goal and fouls drawn, and the 98th percentile for passes completed over 30 yards, when compared to all other midfielders in the Championship, which highlights just how important he has been to their style of play.

Given the nature of his performances, it seems a certainty that he could make the step-up to any top five European league with little stress - if he did make the move to West Ham, he would provide great competition for Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, while at Marseille he would add much-needed youth alongside the likes of Geoffrey Kondogbia, Jordan Veretout and Valentin Rongier.

Watford will want to keep Ismael Kone this summer

The Hornets will not be in any rush to sanction an exit for Kone, with the three years left on his deal putting them in a good position when it comes to any possible negotiations.

They will likely want north of £10 million for any potential sale of the Canadian, as he is the asset that could command one of the biggest transfer fees for the club, but Yaser Asprilla would be higher than that you'd think.

That sort of transfer fee would be no problem for West Ham, but could be off-putting to Roma, who have not spent big money in recent windows, and Marseille, after they recently failed to qualify for any European competition for the first time since the 2018/19 season.

The 22-year-old is also a full international with his best years well and truly ahead of him, and his potential valuation could increase even further if he impresses at the Copa América with Canada this summer.

With concrete interest from across Europe, it does seem likely that a move could happen, but Kone should only move for the right sum of money to a club that will offer him consistent playing time upon arrival, otherwise he would be better off staying at Vicarage Road to develop for another season.