Manchester United’s patience could be about to be rewarded if reports emerging from Spain are to be believed.
The Red Devils have already signed Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to strengthen their engine room, with the Brazilian impressing during pre-season.
However, United still lack that out-and-out defensive midfielder, which explains why they were interested in Elliot Anderson.
However, the Englishman opted to move to Manchester City instead, and United have opted to wait instead of jumping in for the likes of Alex Scott and Tyler Adams.
United have been waiting for Aurelien Tchouameni
One of the reasons was because INEOS wanted to be sure that a pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni was not on the cards anymore.
The Frenchman had reportedly agreed a contract extension, even though no official update has appeared to date.
Now, with Real Madrid reportedly closing in on a deal for Rodri, Spanish outlet ESDiario has claimed that the France international could be the fall guy.
The report states that Jose Mourinho feels both Rodri and Aurelien Tchouameni have similar playing styles and that they are not compatible together.
Rodri’s signing could pave the way for Aurelien Tchouameni to leave
This has opened the door to an exit for the former Monaco ace, with United in the driving seat should his departure be greenlit.
“Real Madrid are very close to completing one of the most important moves of the summer transfer window. The signing of Rodri, which could be made official this weekend for a fee close to €55 million, would not only strengthen the midfield but would also have an immediate consequence: the departure of Aurélien Tchouameni.
“According to reports surrounding the transfer, José Mourinho believes that Rodri and Tchouameni are too similar in style and don’t fit the playing philosophy he wants to implement. The Portuguese manager believes that the two players are incompatible in the same squad if the goal is to build a more dynamic and balanced midfield.
“This situation accelerates the possible departure of the French international, whose future seemed headed towards a renewal until 2031. However, that contract extension was never made official and the scenario has changed completely with the emergence of Rodri in the sporting planning.
United might struggle to afford Aurelien Tchouameni
“In fact, one of the coach’s priorities would be to prevent Valverde and Tchouameni from sharing a dressing room after their incident at the end of last season. In this context, Manchester United has emerged as the leading candidate to secure Tchouameni’s services.”
The only obstacle would be the 26-year-old’s wage demands and Los Blancos’ asking price. It has been relayed by The Peoples Person that United are prepared to pay up to £70 million for the Real’s No.14.
The Bernabeu outfit might ask for a lot more. An interesting month awaits United fans as they wait to see what surprises INEOS have in store before the season commences.
The Peoples Person Reliability Assessment
Overall credibility: 5/10Why?
Reported by an outlet with a poor track record when it comes to Real Madrid newsUnited might struggle financially to pull off the deal
Multiple outlets have reported on United’s interest in the player
TPP viewWe believe Manchester United consider Aurelien Tchouameni as their dream Casemiro replacement. But INEOS might struggle to afford the Frenchman, while Real Madrid might look to sell Eduardo Camavinga instead.
Feature image Denis Doyle via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently the Deputy Managing Editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
