Manchester United has been hunting for a defensive midfielder all summer. It’s been a long, messy search that keeps hitting dead ends.
The Red Devils already agreed on a deal for Ederson after the Brazilian recommended the move. But Atalanta’s guy is more of a box-to-box runner, not a pure No. 6 who sits and shields the back four. So the hunt continues.
Right now the focus is on Mateus Fernandes at West Ham. United got priced out of moves for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali, so they pivoted. Fernandes is a deep-lying playmaker who could eventually take over for Bruno Fernandes, at least that’s how INEOS sees it. But West Ham isn’t making it easy. The asking price is steep and there are plenty of other suitors in the mix.
Tyler Adams and Alex Scott are also on the list. But the club’s ownership has realized they need to look outside the Premier League to find that elusive No. 6.
That’s where Aurelien Tchouameni comes in. Michael Carrick is a huge fan of the French midfielder. But Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has been clear: Tchouameni is not leaving. There were whispers that Jose Mourinho might be open to selling him and that Madrid could use a big check to fund a move for Enzo Fernandez at Chelsea. But those rumors appear to be dead.
According to Diario OK, the La Liga champions are planning to offer Tchouameni a contract extension with a significant wage bump. He currently makes around seven million euros net per season. That figure is expected to jump in the new deal.
“Real Madrid is very clear on one thing: Aurélien Tchouaméni is not for sale,” the report states. “At Valdebebas, they are observing with some surprise all the rumors that have placed the French international away from the Santiago Bernabéu in recent weeks. The club not only does not foresee his departure, but is already working on a roadmap that involves making him one of the pillars of the long-term project. The next step will be to offer him a contract extension once his participation with France in the World Cup is over.”
The club wants to avoid a situation where Tchouameni enters the summer of 2027 with only one year left on his deal. That would open the door for other teams to start circling. So they’re acting now. A long-term renewal with a clear message: they consider him one of the most important players in the squad.
This could end the Tchouameni-to-United rumors for good. The Red Devils do have other younger options on their radar like Ayyoub Bouaddi and Nathan De Cat. But the big name they wanted is staying put.
Madrid is keeping its guy. United keeps looking.
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