Manchester United is pushing hard to pry Aurelien Tchouameni out of Real Madrid. According to AS editor Jose Felix Diaz, who has a solid track record on Madrid news, the Red Devils have already put a five-year contract in front of the French midfielder. Diaz called the offer “very good” during a live stream with Ruben Martin, though he didn’t share exact dollar figures.
The offer is reportedly serious enough that United believes they can get a green light from Tchouameni’s camp. If they do, the next step is hammering out a deal with Real Madrid, a club not exactly known for letting stars walk cheap.
Who is Tchouameni and why United wants him
The 26-year-old defensive midfielder left Monaco for Madrid in 2022 and has two years left on his current contract. He’s essentially what every top club wants in the middle of the park — big, physical at 6-foot-2, smart positionally, and still entering his prime years. Some would argue he’s the best pure defensive midfielder in Europe right now. That’s the kind of player United needs to stabilize a midfield that has been a mess for years.
There’s some irony here too. Tchouameni would be replacing Casemiro at Old Trafford, the same guy he replaced in the Real Madrid lineup. The Brazilian was making £350,000 a week in Manchester, and that salary is part of why INEOS chose not to trigger his extension option (even if Casemiro played well under Michael Carrick).
If Tchouameni signs, his wages will reportedly land somewhere in that neighborhood. The Sun has suggested his pay will be comparable to what Casemiro was pulling in. At 26, a deal worth upwards of £300,000 per week carries less risk than it did for Casemiro, who was already 30 when United signed him.
The wider midfield landscape
United isn’t operating in a vacuum here. Manchester City and Tottenham are both making aggressive moves for their own midfield targets, and those clubs are willing to spend. INEOS knows they can’t land players of Tchouameni’s caliber without opening the checkbook. Sporting director Jason Wilcox is leading the charge, with talks expected between the two clubs in the coming days.
Nothing is finished yet. Real Madrid still has leverage — two years left on Tchouameni’s deal — and they don’t usually bend for anybody. But United is making it clear they’re willing to spend to get their guy.
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