United are set to wave goodbye to Casemiro in the off-season, but Manuel Ugarte, who only arrived two seasons ago, is also believed to be on the chopping block. It could come at the perfect time for the Red Devils, given Tchouameni has emerged as a candidate, with the 26-year-old facing an uncertain future at Real Madrid.
It was reported on Thursday that Tchouameni was involved in a training ground bust-up with fellow Real Madrid team-mate Federico Valverde, with talk of an exit beginning to pick up. Tchouameni’s contract with Los Blancos is set to run out at the end of the 2027/28 season, making this summer the best chance Real Madrid have to bank a significant fee for the midfield anchor.
According to transfer insider Ben Jacobs, it’s United who are sniffing around him the most, with claims that contact with his representatives has already been made. It’s the first step towards a transfer, with United then needing to contact Real Madrid to establish how much money the deal might require.
It comes after confirmation of United’s first deal of the summer transfer window, with Napoli set to sign Rasmus Hojlund on a permanent basis. The Dane has impressed since arriving at the Italian outfit, with the 2025 Serie A champions about to trigger the £38million release clause in the striker’s contract.
It will come as a relief to United’s transfer chiefs, given his stock had plummeted since joining the club for £72million in the summer of 2023. While the three-time European champions will have to shoulder a significant loss, they’ve still managed to claw back some of the fee they paid for him three years ago.
Elsewhere, what they do in the transfer market could depend on who is in charge of the Old Trafford outfit on a full-time basis. Carrick has been linked with the job, having been ushered in as an interim following Ruben Amorim’s sacking at the turn of the year.
When asked about his future, Carrick remarked: “Clarity is important … We’ve finished strong, put ourselves in a good position and the situation of my role and what it looks like moving forward, I think it’s just the natural time. It was always spoken about towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season.”