According to Sport (page 17), Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has expressed interest in signing Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni during this summer’s transfer window.
The club has already made significant signings, spending £162 million (€187m) upfront on Mason Mount, Andre Onana, and Rasmus Hojlund.
While Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat has been frequently linked as a potential defensive midfielder target for United, Ten Hag seems to have different plans in mind, and Tchouameni appears to be his preferred choice for the role.
Ten Hag is a keen admirer of the French star and has urged the club to pursue a deal for the Real Madrid midfielder.
The Red Devils are reportedly considering making an offer similar to what Madrid paid Monaco last summer, which was around €80 million plus €20 million in add-ons, to secure the talented player.
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The Spanish giants ideally want to retain Tchouameni after making a substantial investment in him, but the market circumstances surrounding Kylian Mbappe’s potential transfer could lead to his departure.
Apart from Man United, Bayern Munich have also shown long-term interest in the former Monaco player.
During last summer’s transfer window, Tchouameni was a target for United, but he chose to join Real Madrid, where he made 50 appearances in all competitions. Despite facing competition from Eduardo Camavinga and Toni Kroos, the 23-year-old was impressed with his performances.
Tchouameni showcased an impressive passing accuracy of 94%, along with 1.9 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, and 1.5 clearances per game.
He also won 66% of his overall duels and lost possession only 5.1 times per outing. Many believe he has the potential to become a world-class midfielder in the future.
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While he would be an excellent addition to United, the major concern is whether the club can generate sufficient funds from player sales to meet Real Madrid’s asking price.
At this point, it seems unlikely, but United’s chances in the race for Tchouameni cannot be completely ruled out if the club’s hierarchy is willing to provide additional funds to the manager.
