The last thing Manchester United fans probably expected to hear this week was that Aurelien Tchouameni might still be on the table. He just signed a contract extension with Real Madrid through 2031. Fabrizio Romano and a dozen other reporters confirmed it. Deal done. Case closed. Except it might not be.
Andy Mitten, the veteran journalist who has covered United for decades, dropped a fascinating wrinkle on the Talk of the Devils podcast. According to Mitten, someone inside Real Madrid told him straight up that the new contract doesn’t guarantee Tchouameni stays. The phrase he got back was direct: “They could still sell him.”
Mitten read the text out loud on the show. He said he reached out to contacts in Madrid — actually journalists covering the Spanish national team in the US during the World Cup — and the message was clear. Real Madrid wants to make big moves this summer. Big signings cost big money. And the only way to get that kind of cash is to sell someone valuable.
So who goes? Mitten ran through the options. Fede Valverde has been told he’s the next captain. That one’s off the table. Eduardo Camavinga is good but probably wouldn’t fetch the kind of fee Madrid would need. That leaves Tchouameni, a 26-year-old France international playing the best soccer of his career at the 2026 World Cup. He’s exactly the kind of player who could command a massive transfer fee.
The 26-year-old defensive midfielder has long been the dream signing for INEOS and United’s ownership group. United already brought in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and triggered Youri Tielemans’ release clause at Aston Villa for £45 million. But Michael Carrick’s midfield still has room, and Tchouameni would be a marquee addition.
Mitten didn’t sugarcoat the odds. He called a deal “improbable” when asked directly. But he also wouldn’t rule it out completely. “I think the chance comes if Real Madrid decide that they want to sell one of their very best players because they need money, and money dictates a lot of things in football,” he said.
Tchouameni has already won LaLiga and the Champions League with Madrid. He played in the 2022 World Cup final and lost. Now he’s in the semifinals of the 2026 tournament with France, with a real shot at lifting the trophy. His stock has never been higher.
United fans have seen this movie before. A Madrid player signs a new deal and rumors still swirl. Mitten pointed out that Madrid has pulled this move before — using interest from United to get a player a better contract. Tchouameni obviously did well for himself. The question now is whether Madrid views him as a cornerstone or as a check they’re willing to cash.
For now, the window is still open. Not wide open. But cracked enough that United is paying attention.
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