Aurelien Tchouameni will sign a new contract at Real Madrid, with Manchester United’s move never close because of his salary and Madrid’s stance, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Romano reports that United were never close to signing Tchouameni, with Real Madrid unwilling to open the door to an exit.
Ben Jacobs has also reported that Tchouameni’s new Madrid deal will be worth €13m a year net. That works out at around €25m gross, or roughly £400,000 a week.
Those figures explain why United’s interest always looked difficult. Tchouameni fits the midfield profile Michael Carrick needs, but the cost of the deal had moved beyond a simple transfer-fee conversation.
United Must Stay Disciplined In Midfield Search
ReadManUtd recently covered how Manchester United had requested a pay cut from Tchouameni, which showed the size of the issue before Madrid’s contract move became clear.
United need a long-term Casemiro replacement, but this update should narrow the club’s thinking. Tchouameni has the power, athleticism and Champions League pedigree to lead a midfield rebuild. He also now looks financially unrealistic.
Madrid’s position makes sense. They keep an elite defensive midfielder, reward him with a major contract and remove uncertainty before the market develops.
For United, the lesson is clear enough. Admiring a player is not the same as having a deal to do.
Carrick still needs a midfielder who can handle pressure, cover ground and give United more control. But the next target must fit the wage structure as well as the tactical plan.
Tchouameni always looked like the premium option. Madrid’s new contract now makes him look like a closed one.
