Salary demands of Uniteds dream target out in the open, INEOS have a big decision to make – report

It will not be easy for Manchester United to sign their dream midfield target — Aurelien Tchouameni, as per the latest reports. After missing out on Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, INEOS initially turned to Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, but even that pursuit might prove futile. This is why the Red Devils are now looking beyond Premier League-proven options, with the Real Madrid superstar considered their dream target. The 20-time English league champions are preparing to take concrete steps to sign the Frenchman, but on one condition: he must lower his wage demands. Aurelien Tchouameni wage demands revealed As revealed by The Sun, the France international will command a wage packet similar to that of Casemiro, the player he is expected to replace. The Brazilian was earning £350,000 a week, which was a major reason why INEOS chose not to trigger his extension option as they looked to trim a bloated wage bill. Interestingly, it is not only about the wage demand, with United already confirming that they are unlikely to pay as much to the 26-year-old’s camp. New Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is also keen to keep the Champions League winner on board, further complicating matters for United. United unlikely to accept “Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho wants to keep Aurelien Tchouameni, who would command a similar fee and salary to Casemiro, who left Real for United in a £60m up-front deal on wages of £350,000 a week in 2022. “United baulked at the asking prices of Anderson and Fernandes and are intent on reducing their wage bill following the departures of Casemiro and Jadon Sancho.” It is clear that the only way the impasse can be broken is if United agree to the player’s demands, especially in such an inflated market. Otherwise, United risk losing out to Chelsea, with Xabi Alonso keen on reuniting with Aurelien Tchouameni. The ball is now in INEOS’ court. Feature image Dan Mullan 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 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 an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25