Sekou Kone health update issued after Man Utd star, 19, spent night in hospital as worrying scenes saw match abandoned
Sekou Kone, 19, was playing for the Red Devils' Under-21s side on Wednesday night.
2
2
But just before half-time away at Tamworth in the National League Cup, he went down in troubling scenes.
Kone headed the ball away at a corner but clashed heads and fell to the floor.
After initially getting up, United medics told him to stay down so he could be assessed.
And Kone was taken off the field on a stretcher with a mask over his face before being transported to hospital in an ambulance.
The match was abandoned because there was a delay in sourcing a required replacement ambulance needed at Tamworth's stadium for the game to continue.
United confirmed last night Kone was "conscious, stable and communicating with United's medical team".
And now BBC Sport report that he has left hospital.
Reporter Simon Stone tweeted on Thursday afternoon: "Kone was discharged from hospital early this morning and continues to recover at home in Manchester."
The positive health update prompted a wave of replies from concerned fans.
One said: "Thank goodness! Great work by the medical team to ensure he was safe and got the care he needed. Great to hear he is doing okay."
Another wrote: "Safe recovery Kone."
Kone is a highly-rated star who joined United a year ago in a deal worth £1million from boyhood club Guidars.
The Malian wonderkid has been dubbed the "next Yaya Toure".
Kone came to United's attention after impressing at the 2023 U17 World Cup as his nation came third.
He is yet to make his senior debut for the Red Devils, but he played 14 times for the U21s last season.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Enzo Maresca reveals the one signing Chelsea still ‘need' to make
Enzo Maresca wants Chelsea to sign a centre-back to replace the injured Levi Colwill. England international Colwill is set to miss most of the new season after suffering an ACL injury in training. Tosin Adarabioyo and Trevoh Chalobah are poised to start in central defence against Crystal Palace in the Premier League opener on Sunday. But Blues boss Maresca is not convinced he can replace key man Colwill, 22, from within his current squad and has been linked with a move for Antonio Silva of Benfica. 'You know how important Levi has been for us last season, for the way we want to play,' said Maresca. 'We said many times that we are able to create chances and to attack in the right way if we are able to build in the right way. Levi was a huge part of our build-up and now he's out. 'We are trying to find a solution internally, but the club know exactly what I think and we'll see what happens. 'I think we need a central defender. We are looking for an internal solution but as I said, the club know exactly what I think. 'We have a fantastic squad. We are happy with the squad. we are, no doubt. But we said many times that when the transfer window is open, anything can happen.' Liverpool manager Arne Slot has tipped Chelsea as title contenders, having also said he expected the west Londoners to beat his side to the crown last season. Maresca, though, is not falling for any so-called mind games from his rival bosses. 'I don't pay attention to what the other people say about us,' the Italian added. 'Also because it's easy to say that more clubs are involved. I don't like to play this kind of game. 'I like to be focused on players, try to improve and then what they say, they can say what they want.' Chelsea face a step into the unknown this season having only just returned to pre-season training following their successful World Club Cup campaign. 'We guess we are ready,' said Maresca. 'It has been quite a short break, but we will try to be ready. 'For sure, it's something new. Unfortunately we don't have the answer, because it's something new.'
Metro
2 minutes ago
- Metro
Ruben Amorim reveals if Benjamin Sesko will start for Man Utd vs Arsenal
Ruben Amorim has confirmed Benjamin Sesko is ready to start for Manchester United in their Premier League opener against Arsenal. The Slovenia international completed his move to Old Trafford last Saturday, becoming the club's fourth signing of the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old arrived at Carrington for training Wednesday but having had no role to play in pre-season preparations, there have been doubts over whether he will be thrown straight into the side this weekend. While Amorim suggested he would have liked his striker to have had more time on the training ground with his new teammates, he is confident he is physically ready to step straight into the team. 'I can see Ben being a striker at this club for many years,' Amorim said. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. 'That is why we paid a lot of money. He didn't have a lot of time [training], but physically, he is ready. 'That is a big component in our league. He's ready to play, and we'll see if he starts.' Rasmus Hojlund started up front during United's pre-season tour of the US but amid growing uncertainty over his future at the club, the Dane saw his minutes dry up. More Trending The former Atalanta star was an unused substitute in United's final pre-season game against Fiorentina with Mason Mount starting in a false nine role. AC Milan are the latest side to be linked with a move but Amorim is still counting on the striker heading into the new season. 'He is one more option for tomorrow. We will see and Rasmus is still our player,' Amorim said. More to follow MORE: Enzo Maresca makes worrying claim over new £37million Chelsea signing MORE: Destiny Udogie injury update ahead of Tottenham vs Burnley MORE: Anthony Gordon injury update ahead of Aston Villa vs Newcastle
The Guardian
3 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Red Bull era takes flight after Newcastle break record for season ticket sales
Newcastle Falcons already had wings, but after their purchase by Red Bull a club that have long been in freefall should once again take flight. Within 24 hours of the takeover completing on Tuesday, the rebranded Newcastle Red Bulls had already sold more season-tickets than for the whole of last season, with Wednesday's sales figure the highest for a single day in the club's 29-year professional history. 'It's amazing for the sport and for Newcastle,' says the former Falcons winger and England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips. 'With Red Bull's backing Newcastle can become the best known rugby team in the world.' Red Bull's impact may have been almost immediate, but getting to this point has taken considerable time. A source at the Austrian energy drinks company described this week's announcement as the culmination of a two-year journey into rugby. Unusually, the Newcastle purchase was driven by its London office rather than company headquarters in Fuschl, Austria, which was behind moves into Formula One and extreme sports, as well as a growing football stable that now includes almost 10% of Leeds United as well as the flagship clubs Red Bull Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg. Significantly, however, Red Bull Sport's managing director, Oliver Mintzlaff, who oversaw the removal of the F1 team principal Christian Horner earlier this summer, announced the takeover, which shows it has the backing of the people who matter. Red Bull has invested in rugby before and has endorsement deals with the England winger Jack Nowell and South Africa's double World Cup-winning captain Siya Kolisi having previously sponsored the Rugby Football Union, but Newcastle are the first club it has bought. The process began when the London-based marketing executives Pete Charles and Damian Marshall contacted the RFU and Premiership Rugby Limited two years ago to discuss potential further investments in rugby. 'We like rugby because it is where extreme sports meets the mainstream,' the Red Bull source said. 'It's exciting, fast-paced and contains that element of risk that appeals to our customers. We think rugby has been undervalued historically, and want to help grow the sport generally, and of course, in Newcastle, in particular.' Red Bull approached the talks with an open mind, but it soon became clear that rather than another sponsorship deal they wanted to buy a meaningful stake in a club or league. An invitation to invest in the proposed new breakaway league, R360, was dismissed with Red Bull preferring to partner with an established competition. With London Irish and Wasps all having gone out of business in the past two years, and seven of the 10 remaining Premiership clubs effectively trading insolvent with net debts of more than £300m, there were no shortage of takers. While Red Bull spoke to other clubs, Newcastle soon emerged as the preferred option due a combination of their desperate need for funding and the potential upside – a big city club with a young population in a sports-mad region, with no other professional rugby union club for 100 miles. 'It's a stroke of genius from Red Bull,' says Phillips, who now runs his own executive coaching company, Optimist Performance. 'They've bought access to a huge market pretty cheaply. They can promote their products to all the students in Newcastle, Durham, Northumbria and York. 'And by buying a team at the bottom of the league they're almost guaranteed to succeed, at least in relative terms. If there's sporting success in the north-east people follow pretty quickly.' Red Bull's other sporting investments have followed a similar model of buying distressed assets and embarking on transformation projects, and Newcastle certainly fit that template. Steve Diamond's side have won only two Premiership games in the past two years so the only way is up, but Red Bull has provided funding before the takeover was completed to facilitate the signings of the New Zealander back rower Tom Christie from Crusaders and the Argentinian scrum-half Simón Benítez-Cruz. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion A flood of new signings is not anticipated this summer due to salary cap restrictions and limited player availability, but Red Bull are understood to be working to a 10-year plan that features winning trophies in the next decade and qualifying for European competitions within five years. Much attention will be placed on improving the pathway and subsequent retention of players development by a historically successful academy, with the recent graduates Jamie Blamire, Callum Chick and Adam Radwan all leaving the club for better opportunities elsewhere to advance their domestic and international careers. While Diamond is staying on to run the rugby department, Red Bull has already begun recruiting for a new managing director with a brief to overhaul the club off the field. There will be considerable investment in the Kingston Park stadium, a new indoor facility is planned at their training ground and the matchday experience for fans is likely to be transformed, with exhibitions from extreme sports and live stunts on the cards. A new club badge will accompany the rebranded Red Bull name, while a new kit launch is already being planned for the middle of the season. For Premiership Rugby the takeover is particularly timely as the domestic top-flight is also being rebranded this season, and from next month will be known as the Gallagher Prem, part of a campaign to engage younger audiences by talking up the league's intensity, physicality and occasional brutality. After the disastrous post-Covid years of decline and bankruptcy club rugby has bounced back in the past couple of seasons, with TV viewing figures up 30% year-on-year in 2024-25, which persuaded TNT Sports to pay £200m for a new four-year rights deal. 'It's a totally unique investment,' says Simon Massie-Taylor, the chief executive of Prem Rugby. 'Ultimately Red Bull are in the business of selling drinks and part of their strategy is to tell really compelling stories about high performance, which they have a lot of experience in. 'Red Bull are brilliant marketers and the Newcastle journey will be great for them. They've bought an under-performing team with the potential to significantly grow its fanbase – it will be fascinating to see it play out.'
