Ibrahima Kone is now involved in a Preston North End transfer domino effect – almost a year since a shock link with a move to Deepdale.
There were a couple of bizarre rumours last summer when it came to potential PNE signings.
Borussia Dortmund defender Antonios Papadopoulos was heavily linked with North End but nothing materialised.
Then we came to transfer deadline day and Ibrahima Kone was a new name in the mix.
French newspaper Ouest-France reported that PNE had made an offer to sign Kone from Ligue 1 side Lorient.
Links to Kone, formerly of Haugesund, Adana Demirspor and Sarpsborg, came out of absolutely nowhere and didn’t lead to a PNE move.
The Mali international started just 15 Ligue 1 games last season and came off the bench 22 times, scoring seven goals.
We’re not expecting to see Kone being linked with PNE again any time soon but he is now involved a transfer domino effect that could impact North End.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Spanish side Almeria have now opened talks to sign Kone.
The plan there is for Kone to come in as a replacement for star striker El Bilal Toure, who is likely to be on the move very soon.
Toure is wanted by both Everton and Atalanta, as noted by Romano, although it’s believed that Atalanta are now closing in on a deal.
PNE would have probably been hoping to see Toure join Everton in order to free up Tom Cannon for a loan move back to Deepdale.
Cannon attended PNE’s 2-0 friendly win over Aberdeen on Saturday, sparking rumours of a loan return.
Everton may want a new striker in before sanctioning Cannon’s North End move, but their push for Toure appears to be faltering as Atalanta close in.
Almeria will now try to sign Kone as a Toure replacement, with this chain reaction possibly leaving PNE in a waiting period as Everton plot their next move.
Few PNE fans could have expected to hear about Kone again after that strange rumour last summer, but he is now tied to the Cannon situation in a surprise twist of fate.