Richard Kone situation could hold key to Wycombe Wanderers manager hunt | OneFootball

Keeping hold of Richard Kone will be key in Wycombe Wanderers' search for a new manager.

It looks likely that Wycombe Wanderers have seen off relentless interest from Luton Town for their star striker, Richard Kone.

The attacker was the subject of four bids from the Hatters over the course of the transfer window, two of which were reportedly worth well over £5m. However, Wycombe held their ground, rejecting all four of Matt Bloomfield's advances.

The latest reports now suggest the striker is expected to stay at Adams Park for the remainder of the season, despite plenty of interest in securing his services. This could be a massive boost for Wycombe, as the hunt for a new manager continues.

Seeing off Kone advances a boost for Wycombe in managerial search

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

Seeing off the advances from Championship strugglers Luton could prove to be key in Wycombe's continuing hunt for a new manager, following Bloomfield's departure earlier in the month.

Wanderers were reportedly keen on Randers boss, Rasmus Bertelsen, who has guided the White Horses to the top three in the Danish Superliga. However, the Dane decided to turn down these approaches and remain in post for his current club.

One very attractive factor of moving to Adams Park would be the chance to work with an elite striker like Kone. The 21-year-old is currently the top goalscorer in League One, and it looks unlikely that will change anytime soon. Any incoming manager would've liked to have a say in Kone's future, so retaining him is a step in the right direction towards obtaining a high-quality Bloomfield successor.

With it looking likely that the Ivorian will be a Chairboy on February 4th, retaining the talisman will be a huge selling point for any potential managerial candidate. This could see more interest from higher-quality managers, who could be tempted to a move to Adams Park if Kone remains.

Successful transfer window could draw a big name to Adams Park

Benji Walker (@benjiwalkerphoto)

There are plenty of reputable managers out of work currently. Of course, we must be realistic and accept that a League One side would be unable to attract someone who has coached at the highest level, but there are plenty of managers with Premier League or Championship experience that could be tempted by the vacancy at Adams Park.

Other than Bertelsen, there have been no concrete rumours suggesting who the next man in the dugout will be. The link to the 41-year-old suggests that Wanderers are looking at the foreign market, which has proven to be a success for EFL clubs, such as Sunderland.

One concern of any potential managerial candidate would be the Chairboys squad being dismantled in the January window. All the rumblings of Joe Low and Kone's future could've been a bit of a put off for some, as losing key players and not having time to replace them could have disastrous implications for the rest of the season, which could've resulted in the new manager's sacking if results go badly.

With Low and Kone likely to stay, and Caleb Taylor returning to the club, the only real loss for Wycombe this month has been Aaron Morley. Following this success in the window, the calibre of candidates showing interest may increase, as there is less risk involved having retained pretty much all of their key players.