“I was so happy!”: Aurelien Tchouameni names the surprise ex-United star he was likened to

Aurelien Tchouameni has opened up on his admiration for former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba in a recent interview. The Real Madrid star is one of the finest in his position in the world and has also been included in Didier Deschamps’ squad for this summer’s FIFA World Cup. Recent reports have suggested that the Red Devils are also keeping a close watch on Tchouameni as they look to reinforce their midfield at the end of the season. The Premier League giants are keen to add more steel to the middle of the park to address Casemiro’s impending departure. The Brazilian, who has been indispensable under caretaker manager Michael Carrick in recent months, is set to leave this summer as a free agent. United want a proven figure to share the pitch with Kobbie Mainoo, who has been very impressive in recent months. While INEOS have shown a preference for Premier League-proven candidates of late, it appears that they are willing to make an exception for Tchouameni. United need someone like Tchouameni Prising Tchouameni away from Real Madrid will not be easy, although his recent rift with Federico Valverde could offer United a window of opportunity to take advantage. The French midfielder was signed in 2022 to replace Casemiro at the Santiago Bernabeu and has done an impressive job so far. Tchouameni’s skillset also makes him a fine replacement for the veteran Brazilian at Old Trafford. The Frenchman is a strong presence in the middle of the park, is tactically sound and has impressive ball-winning ability. The 26 year old’s aerial presence will also be a big boon, given that United heavily relied on Casemiro in both boxes. Tchouameni is also comfortable with the ball at his feet, further explaining why United are enticed by the player. This season, the Frenchman has registered two goals and two assists in 49 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos, all but three of which have been starts. Aurelien Tchouameni Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played LaLiga33311-8-2,623′ UEFA Champions League1313113-1,125′ Supercopa22—-180′ Copa del Rey10-1–13′ Total49462211-3,941′ Source: Transfermarkt. Tchouameni has now shared an anecdote from his formative years that revolves around Pogba, who spent six seasons at the Theatre of Dreams. Tchouameni was called ‘Mini Pogba’ Speaking on The Bridge, Tchouameni revealed that he was dubbed ‘mini-Pogba’ during his formative years. He said: “There’s a long story about that. When I was younger, we are maybe about the same height, about the same build, two Black guys.” “You start, and people immediately compare you. Besides, as I said, Paul was the star of the moment. So as soon as someone has a similar build to him, immediately they’ll be compared to him, you see. So, when I was a youth player in Bordeaux, people kind of called me mini-Pogba and stuff, and I was so happy! I was thrilled, you know!” Pogba registered 39 goals and 51 assists in 233 appearances for United, winning the Europa League and the EFL Cup. He left as a free agent in the summer of 2022 to return to Juventus and is currently with Monaco. Final Thoughts If United manage to secure Tchouameni’s signature, it would represent a statement signing for INEOS. The Frenchman is everything the Red Devils need right now and his arrival could propel the club back to the glory days. No Manchester United midfielder has won over 60% of their aerial duels or their ground duels in the Premier League this season. Aurélien Tchouaméni has won over 60% of both. 🔝 pic.twitter.com/ZiCbdM7ylC — Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) April 24, 2026 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 Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.