Manchester United renew interest in Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni
Manchester United’s midfield pursuit
Manchester United have reportedly made a fresh inquiry regarding Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni. This renewed interest comes after previous attempts to secure the French international were unsuccessful. The club is actively seeking to reinforce its midfield, particularly after the departure of Casemiro to Inter Miami in the United States.
According to reports, Real Madrid is open to the possibility of selling the 26-year-old defensive midfielder to Manchester United. This development marks a potential shift, as Tchouaméni was previously understood to be close to extending his contract with the La Liga giants and had been expected to remain with the club for the 2026-2027 season, with José Mourinho reportedly counting on him.
Despite earlier approaches last winter and at the beginning of the current summer transfer window, Tchouaméni had seemed set to stay at Real Madrid. However, Manchester United has revisited the possibility of acquiring the midfielder, who is considered a specialist defensive player. His profile is believed to align with the club’s requirements for a young player capable of anchoring the midfield and providing balance to the team.
The search for a defensive midfielder is a priority for Manchester United, especially given that recent arrivals such as André Santos and Youri Tielemans are more attack-oriented. Securing Tchouaméni, a natural defensive midfielder, would address this specific need. However, prising him away from Real Madrid is anticipated to be a challenging task.
Other midfield and defensive targets
In addition to Tchouaméni, Manchester United is reportedly considering other options to bolster its midfield. These include AS Roma and France midfielder Manu Kone, who is 25 years old. Another player on their radar is Brighton’s 22-year-old Cameroon international Carlos Baleba. Both players are being evaluated as the club aims to strengthen its central midfield.
Bournemouth’s 27-year-old United States midfielder Tyler Adams is also an option for Michael Carrick’s side. He is valued at approximately £35m. This indicates a broad search for suitable candidates to enhance the squad’s depth and quality in the midfield.
Meanwhile, other Premier League clubs are also active in the transfer market. Arsenal, for instance, is targeting defenders after an injury to France defender William Saliba. Among their targets are former Manchester City defender John Stones, 32, and 28-year-old Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa. These England internationals are being considered to reinforce Arsenal’s defence.
Chelsea is reportedly the favourite to sign 18-year-old Bosnia-Herzegovina attacking midfielder Kerim Alajbegovic from Bayer Leverkusen. Furthermore, Chelsea has reportedly reached an agreement to sign 15-year-old American winger Benji Flowers from Major League Soccer side FC Dallas when he reaches 18 years of age.
Movements across Europe and MLS
Transfer activities extend beyond these major clubs, with several players potentially moving to new teams. Xabi Alonso’s side, Bayer Leverkusen, is also in discussions with Crystal Palace regarding the sale of 28-year-old French centre-back Axel Disasi.
Arsenal and Manchester City are among the clubs vying to sign Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig. RB Leipzig had previously rejected a £69m bid from Liverpool for the 19-year-old. This highlights the high demand for the young winger.
In other developments, Liverpool and England Under-20 defender Amara Nallo, 19, is set to join Finnish club HJK Helsinki on a season-long loan. This move will provide him with an opportunity for further development.
Across the leagues, Celtic and Japan striker Daizen Maeda, 28, is scheduled to undergo a medical on Friday to finalise his £10m transfer to Ipswich Town. This transfer marks a significant move for the striker.
Meanwhile, Leeds United’s English winger Jack Harrison, 29, is reportedly nearing a move to MLS side New England Revolution, indicating a potential switch to North American football. Everton is also showing interest in Celtic’s Alistair Johnston, a 27-year-old who impressed for Canada at the World Cup and is seen as a suitable right-back replacement following the departure of Republic of Ireland defender Seamus Coleman.
Finally, Aston Villa is interested in signing 25-year-old Everton and England midfielder James Garner this summer. Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca remains keen on acquiring 25-year-old Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez and 23-year-old France full-back Malo Gusto from his former club, Chelsea, as reported on July 23, 2026.
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Source: bbc.com
