Manchester United wonderkid takes important step ahead of possible January exit
The Man Utd midfielder is being managed carefully ahead of a possible exit in the January window.
Manchester United midfielder Sekou Kone took another important step towards his injury recovery as he featured in a youth international fixture over the weekend.
The 19-year-old fractured his eye socket in a National League Cup match against Tamworth in August that was subsequently abandoned. Kone went down following a clash of heads in his own box and was stretchered off the pitch with a mask held to his face before it was confirmed the match would have to be abandoned due to an ambulance shortage. The only available ambulance was used to take the player to the hospital, and competition rules state that a match cannot continue if there is no other ambulance at the ground as a precaution.
Kone returned to full training at the start of the month and made it onto the pitch for the final seconds as United U21s defeated Notts County in the EFL Trophy a fortnight ago. He has now taken another important step forward with a longer appearance at international level.
Kone features over international break
Manchester United are taking no risks with Sekou Kone after he fractured his eye socket and have been keen to slowly ease him back into action. The 19-year-old was permitted to feature for Mali in a youth international over the current break and was named in their U23 side for a friendly match against Indonesia over the weekend.
Kone was named on the bench for the clash, but was introduced in the 61st minute and played the final half an hour. Mali were 2-0 up when the United midfielder was introduced and went on to win the match 3-0.
Speaking after the win, Mali coach Fousseni Diawara reflected on Kone's return to action. “Regarding Sekou Kone, who plays for Manchester United, he is a promising player with many good qualities. Like other players in the team, he has many opportunities to develop. He is playing for a big club that is very popular in Indonesia, Man Utd.”
United completed the signing of Kone from Malian side Guidars FC on the transfer deadline day of the summer window last year, for an initial fixed fee in the region of £1.2 million, with a number of performance-related add-ons also included. He was named on the first-team bench three times last season for Premier League away matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Kone featured for United in their post-season tour of Asia and was named in their pre-season tour squad of the US, but did not play in any of the matches. United scrapped plans to send the teenager on loan to Lausanne-Sport in the summer but could consider any approaches made for him ahead of the January window as he looks to make up for lost time.
The Mali youth international is in an odd position where he is effectively the fifth-choice midfielder at senior level despite the fact that he has never made his competitive debut for the club. Due to United's reduced fixture schedule, he is more likely to get minutes elsewhere in the second-half of the campaign.
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