Sékou Koné
 Koné in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 3 February 2006 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Bamako, Mali | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team |
Lausanne-Sport (on loan from Manchester United) | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 80 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| JMG Academy | |||||||||||||||||
| –2024 | Guidars FC | ||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2026 | Manchester United | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2026– | Manchester United | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2026 | → Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2026– | → Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | Mali U17 | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Mali U20 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Mali U23 | 3 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:04, 13 November 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:16, 8 October 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Sékou Koné (born 3 February 2006) is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Swiss Super League club Lausanne-Sport, on loan from Premier League club Manchester United.
Koné joined Manchester United's youth system in August 2024, from Malian club Guidars FC. Since joining United, he has had two spells on loan at Lausanne-Sport.
Koné has played youth international football for Mali up to under-23 level. He was a member of the Mali under-17 team that finished in third-place at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Club career
A graduate of the JMG Academy in Mali, Koné played for Bamako-based club Guidars FC. His performances at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup led to interest from clubs around the world, including England's Manchester United, Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg.
Koné signed for Manchester United at the age of 18, on 30 August 2024.
On 13 August 2025, he suffered a fractured eye socket while playing for Manchester United's under-21 team in a National League Cup game against Tamworth, which led to the match being abandoned.
On 3 February 2026, it was announced that he would join Swiss Super League club Lausanne-Sport on loan until the end of the 2025–26 season. Koné rejoined Lausanne-Sport in July 2026, on loan until the end of the 2026–27 season.
International career
Koné has played youth international football for Mali at under-17, under-20 and under-23 levels.
He played for Mali at the 2023 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations, where his performances helped Mali to a fourth-place finish, as well as earning Koné a place in the team of the tournament. He then appeared at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, at which Mali finished third thanks to a 3–0 win over Argentina in the third-place play-off.
On 18 November 2025, Kone scored two goals for the Mali under-23 team in a friendly match against Indonesia, in a 2–2 draw.
Style of play
Koné mainly plays as a defensive midfielder and is known for his ball-winning skills and stamina, which allow him to track back and disrupt opposition play, but he is also capable of getting involved in attacking moves.
His style of play has been compared to that of former Manchester City and Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Touré by the African media, due to his explosive and energetic displays.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 7 November 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United U21 | 2024–25 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2025–26 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Manchester United | 2025–26 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2026–27 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 2025–26 | Swiss Super League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Lausanne-Sport (loan) | 2026–27 | Swiss Super League | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | |||
| Career total | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 1 | ||
- 1 2 Appearance in EFL Trophy
Honours
Mali U17
- FIFA U-17 World Cup third place: 2023
Individual
- U-17 Africa Cup of Nations Best XI: 2023
References
- ↑ "Sékou Koné Manchester United Midfielder, Profile & Stats | Premier League". www.premierleague.com. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
- ↑ Keifer, MacDonald (22 August 2024). "Who is Sekou Kone? Meet Man United new wonderkid signing who has secret Tottenham link". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ Cunningham, Jack (23 August 2024). "Who is Sekou Kone? Manchester United agree deal to sign 'next Yaya Toure' from same academy as Tottenham star". talkSport. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ Marshall, Adam (30 August 2024). "Kone signs for United". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
- ↑ "Man Utd sign teenage midfielder Kone". BBC Sport. 30 August 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ "Kone fractured eye socket in clash that led to abandoned match". BBC Sport. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ Marshall, Adam (3 February 2026). "Kone completes overseas loan". Manchester United F.C. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ "Sékou Koné est lausannois!". lausanne-sport.ch. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ↑ "Loan news: Kone joins Lausanne-Sport". www.manutd.com. Retrieved 31 July 2026.
- ↑ "Youngster Kone rejoins Lausanne on loan". BBC Sport. 24 July 2026. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ "S. Koné matches". besoccer.com. Retrieved 8 October 2026.
- 1 2 "Senegal's dominance shines in TotalEnergies U17 AFCON Best XI". CAFOnline.com. 21 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
- ↑ Coombs, Dan (27 August 2024). "Sekou Kone showed exactly why Man Utd are signing him, wonderkid has got everything". unitedinfocus.com. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ "Indonesia U-23 Hold Mali to 2-2 in Second SEA Games Tune-Up". Tempo.co. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 20 November 2025.
- ↑ Gamp, Oli (24 August 2024). "Who is Sekou Kone? Teenage wonderkid set to make Manchester United transfer". themirror.com. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ Gamp, Oli (23 August 2024). "Who is Sekou Kone? Man Utd agree deal for 'next Yaya Toure' who shone at World Cup". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ "Sekou Kone: Manchester United Finalize Deal for 'Next Yaya Toure'". footboom1.com. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ↑ "Sekou Kone Stats". soccerway.com. Retrieved 13 November 2026.
- ↑ "Magnificent Mali clinch bronze". FIFA. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
External links
- Profile at the Manchester United F.C. website
- Sékou Koné at Soccerway