Dominating, excellent: this unsung World Cup hero will unleash Kobbie Mainoo in Uniteds midfield – opinion

With dream moves for Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes now off the table, Manchester United must look elsewhere. There is little debate about where the Red Devils should turn after the latest setback of missing out on Fernandes. Aurelien Tchouameni has rapidly emerged as INEOS’ dream signing, with suggestions the club may even break its wage structure to secure him. So why Aurelien Tchouameni? The Frenchman is a proper old-school defensive midfielder. He dominates duels, aerial or on the ground, carries the physicality required for the Premier League, and progresses the ball with purpose. Yes, he is not as nimble‑footed as Kobbie Mainoo, who can dribble out of tight spaces. But he would free Mainoo to focus on driving attacking play, hence the perfect complement for the Englishman. Notably, after his standout performance as France cruised to a 3-0 World Cup round of 32 win over Sweden, French media’s reaction perfectly captured why he is the ideal next United number six: Foot Mercato: “Positioned deeper than Rabiot, he was less prominent than his midfield partner. “This positioning may have seemed surprising in the first half given France’s complete dominance. After the break, his forward run led to the second goal.” Maxi Foot: “A solid performance from the French midfielder. Present in the centre of the pitch, he held his own in winning back possession, dominating several duels. “As usual, the Real Madrid player displayed excellent technical ability, creating space to attack. We liked his interception that led to Barcola’s goal.” Perfect for Mainoo, just as he was for Rabiot versus Sweden Tchouameni has been an unsung hero for this French team, with all the plaudits going to the attackers. That said, those reactions clearly capture how Tchouameni excelled as the sole sitter against Sweden, giving Adrien Rabiot and France’s other attackers the freedom to focus on creating and converting chances while he provided the defensive cover. Missing out on Fernandes may have left many frustrated, but he was not specifically what this United midfield needed. Beyond his ability on the ball, his progression and passing, he was not going to be the player who set Mainoo free. In fact, his struggles defending transitions would likely have left United outplayed again in the centre of the park when out of possession and on the counter. Breaking the bank for Tchouameni ultimately makes more sense for United than doing so for Anderson or Fernandes would have. Alongside Mainoo and Bruno Fernandes, he would plug the team’s defensive issues and lay the foundation for control. And with the Frenchman on board, United could then comfortably pursue promising midfield talents like Johan Manzambi or Lamine Camara. Featured image Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.