- Manchester United were interested in Tchouameni
- Real Madrid want to keep Frenchman
- Likely to extend contract
Manchester United’s hopes of signing Aurelien Tchouameni look to be over as Real Madrid don’t want to sell the midfielder. The Reds had recently added the Frenchman to their shortlist of potential Casemiro replacements.
According to Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Tchouameni isn’t about to leave Madrid, and the La Liga giants intend to extend his contract. He remains an important player at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he’s been a mainstay in the starting lineup since arriving from AS Monaco in July 2022.
The 26-year-old has appeared 45 times across competitions this season, posting two goals and as many assists. He has just over two years left on his contract and the Spanish heavyweights are clearly not preparing to part ways.
Tchouameni Staying at Madrid
Aouna claims that Tchouameni is viewed as a “key element” of the Madrid project. As a result, they intend not only to keep him but to offer him a new deal on improved terms.
That all but ends United’s interest, especially if the Frenchman is content with life in the Spanish capital. He might be playing under a new manager next season and Los Blancos will be eager to bounce back from a dissapointing season.
The Reds do have alternatives in mind, and their top target is Elliot Anderson. The Nottingham Forest midfielder has been constantly linked, but he seems to have his sights set on a move to rivals Manchester City.
Other midfielders who have been considered include Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton. There’s every chance that not one but two new midfielders will arrive this summer.
Look Elsewhere
United must have a plan in place to replace Casemiro and can’t afford to dwell on missing out on the likes of Tchouameni and Anderson. INEOS should ideally have one new central midfielder wrapped up at the very start of the summer transfer window.
That was how they went about their business, bolstering the frontline, swooping early for Matheus Cunha by triggering his £62.5m release clause. A similar approach should be taken in signing one of the two much-needed central midfielders.
There has already been plenty of work done on Baleba, who is reportedly keen on joining. The Cameroonian could be a good addition, although his drop in form this season will probably be a concern.
Qualifying for the Champions League should help attract top talent to Old Trafford. It will be interesting to see what the plan is now that Tchouameni is off the cards.
