Manchester United's pursuit of Kone has gone quiet, not just because the €60 million price tag was too steep! Baleba's injury has dashed his transfer hopes.

Before the World Cup had even ended, it seemed only a matter of time before Manchester United signed French defensive midfielder Kone. They had reached an agreement with the player and were about to submit a bid to his club Roma. However, suddenly everything fell silent, as if the rumors about Kone had never surfaced.

One major reason is that Roma's asking price for Kone reached €60 million (£51 million), exceeding Sir Jim Ratcliffe's budget. United had hoped to secure the deal for under €50 million. But the price is just one factor behind the stalled transaction, not the whole story.

Transfer reporter Ben Jacobs says the push for the 25-year-old Kone comes from transfers and scouting director Christopher Vivell, but the final decision rests with football director Jason Wilcox. There is currently no unified view within the club on Kone.

Jacobs told UK's talkSPORT radio that Vivell recommended United sign Kone, but Wilcox knows Ratcliffe has different criteria, and there is a split between them. Now, after his holiday ends next Monday, Kone will have to return to Roma for pre-season training.

"I think whether Kone joins United depends on whether Wilcox can be convinced, because as I understand it, Vivell is one of the people who proposed the target," Jacobs said. "Carrick and the others prefer to sign a new recruit with Premier League experience, such as Andre Santos and Tielemans, who both have plenty of Premier League experience, or a highly accomplished player like Real Madrid's Tchouaméni."

Jacobs added: "There is no unified agreement yet; not everyone wants to sign Kone. But they have had some talks with the player's camp, so we'll have to see if an agreement is eventually reached. Wilcox has proposed other targets and is also keeping an eye on some players."

Other factors also prevented United from advancing the Kone deal. One is Mason Mount's pre-season form, which has boosted the club and coaching staff's confidence in him for the upcoming season. They believe that if Mount stays fit, he will play a key role under Carrick. If that is the case, the club feels the current midfield is sufficient, allowing them to shift transfer priorities to other positions, such as left-back.

Wilcox also understands that the boss Ratcliffe's top midfield target is Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni, and when the possibility of a transfer resurfaced, United chose to wait. Of course, the chances of United landing the 26-year-old French international remain very slim. If Real Madrid fail to sign Rodri, that slim hope could vanish.

This week, rumors emerged that Barcelona have joined the race for Rodri, aiming to snatch the 30-year-old Spanish captain from their arch-rivals. If Rodri chooses the Camp Nou, then the possibility of Madrid selling Tchouaméni disappears.

As of now, Real Madrid have not shown any intention to sell Tchouaméni, who has agreed to a new five-year contract with the club, though it has not been officially announced. In fact, even if the "Galacticos" land Rodri, Tchouaméni's transfer fee and wages could exceed the standards Ratcliffe has set for United.

Tchouaméni, as a midfielder in his prime with high-level club and international experience, would be seen as a game-changing signing, and Ratcliffe might agree to make an exception for him. But if he cannot join, United are unlikely to splash out heavily on another midfielder. Instead, they will likely complete the signing of a third midfield recruit with a mid-range transfer fee.

Premier League transfer experts say United's options include Fulham's Sander Berge and Bournemouth's Tyler Adams, both priced around £40 million. Jacobs says United inquired about Adams' price, and Bournemouth set a £50 million valuation, not the widely reported £35 million. Adams is willing to join United.

Jacobs said: "The player is very keen to move to United, but the information I have is that although Adams is not unsellable, the transfer fee is likely closer to £50 million rather than the rumored £35 million or so."

As for Carlos Baleba, who has always been eager to join United, his dream of moving to the Red Devils this summer has completely evaporated. The Athletic's David Ornstein reports that Baleba was injured during Brighton's training last week, suffering ankle ligament damage, and missed the Seagulls' 4-3 friendly win over Strasbourg. Although the injury is not considered a long-term issue, it could rule him out for the start of the new season. This is the second consecutive summer that Baleba has been injured during pre-season, so United naturally no longer consider signing him.