Manchester United are reportedly poised to open talks with Real Madrid over Aurelien Tchouameni within the next few days. The French international is among a host of midfielders linked with a move to Old Trafford, with the Spanish club potentially facing pressure to raise significant funds this summer.
Since the appointment of Jose Mourinho, Real have also brought in Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva. While three of those arrived on free transfers, all four will almost certainly command substantial wages at the Bernabeu. As such, the club are weighing up first-team departures, and while Eduardo Camavinga had appeared the most likely candidate to be sold, offloading Tchouameni is now being considered as an alternative, but only if their hefty valuation is matched.
Spanish outlet Diario AS reports that any exit will only be sanctioned if a fee of €100million (£85m) is secured.
The same report indicates that United’s hierarchy are willing to spend big to land Tchouameni, with initial discussions over a potential transfer expected to take place later this week.
Tchouameni is currently representing France at the World Cup, though he sat out their most recent victory over Paraguay due to a minor injury.
United have already struck an agreement for one midfielder, with top target Ederson still on course to arrive from Atalanta despite speculation that the deal had fallen through.
With Brazil now out of the World Cup, the finer details of his £38m transfer are expected to be ironed out imminently, with a medical scheduled to follow.
Michael Carrick and his backroom staff are keen to bring in a second reinforcement in the middle of the park, though their two primary targets have already committed elsewhere.
Manchester City shattered the British transfer record by agreeing a deal to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m, while Mateus Fernandes chose to make an £85m switch to Tottenham.
Tchouameni and Alex Scott appear to be the next names in the frame, though both pursuits look complicated, with Real yet to make a decision on the former’s future and Arsenal firmly in contention for the Bournemouth star.
His club team-mate Tyler Adams has also been mentioned as a possible target, though interest in Brighton’s Carlos Baleba appears to have waned, with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton similarly understood to be off the club’s shortlist.