Real Madrid Kept Tchouameni. Now Man United Is Turning to His French Teammate.

Manchester United had a plan. Aurelien Tchouameni was supposed to be the guy who finally replaced Casemiro in midfield. But late last night, that plan fell apart when Tchouameni agreed to a new contract with Real Madrid.

So now the club is pivoting hard to Manu Kone, the Roma midfielder who also happens to be Tchouameni’s teammate on the French national team. And they share the same agent too, which probably made this an easier conversation to have.

According to multiple reports, Roma is willing to sell Kone for around £50 million. That’s not cheap, but it’s not outrageous for a 25-year-old who started for France at the last World Cup. The Italian club needs to raise cash to stay on the right side of UEFA’s financial rules, even after they finished third in Serie A and qualified for the Champions League.

Kone is the kind of midfielder who does the dirty work. He wins duels, carries the ball forward, and has the kind of athleticism that translates well to the Premier League. At 6’1″, he’s got the frame to handle the physical side of English football. And the fact that France manager Didier Deschamps felt comfortable starting him in place of Tchouameni during the World Cup group stage tells you something about the level he can play at.

Intermediaries have already reached out to Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool about Kone’s availability. But sources say Kone is especially keen on joining United. The Peoples Person reported earlier that he’s “very keen” on becoming a Red Devil.

There’s also been word that Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga could be available, but United is reportedly more interested in Kone as a serious option to strengthen Michael Carrick’s midfield.

United went all in on Tchouameni after it became clear that Casemiro’s best years are behind him. But Real Madrid was never going to make that easy. Tchouameni had a conversation with incoming manager Jose Mourinho — yes, Mourinho is going back to Madrid — and that sealed it. He’s staying put.

There’s some speculation that Tchouameni’s agent, who also represents Kone, might have encouraged United’s interest just to drive up his client’s value. But even if that was part of the game, the outcome is clear: United needs a midfielder, and Kone is now the guy.

What happens next depends on whether United can move fast enough to beat out the other Premier League clubs circling Kone. The transfer window is open, and Roma is ready to sell. The question is who wants him more.