Manchester United’s much-trumpeted summer squad rebuild is still in its infancy despite the transfer window having been open for almost a month.
Matheus Cunha was quickly signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers in what looked like a statement of intent ahead of a busy couple of months of buying and selling players.
But since the Brazilian’s arrival the only other new face through the door has been Paraguayan youngster Diego Leon, for whom a deal was announced in January.
Meanwhile Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo has been close to an Old Trafford switch for weeks, but the club are struggling to get an agreement over the line and his arrival is far from certain.
Raid on Real Madrid
However, a shock report from Spain, relayed by TEAMtalk, claims that United have made a huge offer for a Real Madrid superstar in a radical change of approach to the transfer window.
According to Journalist Eduardo Inda, the Red Devils have made an offer of €90m (£77.5m) for Aurelien Tchouameni.
Inda said: “An offer has arrived from Manchester United for a player that Xabi Alonso is loving and whose name is Aurelien Tchouameni.
“The Real Madrid coach believes that he can be much better. He is doing very well at the Club World Cup. They (United) have offered €90million.”
Given United’s very public pursuit of Mbeumo, which seems to be stuttering over a couple of million pounds, it is highly unlikely that the club have also found time to throw together and keep quiet such a blockbuster bid.
Under INEOS, the Red Devils have largely stayed away from chasing Galacticos, and have been more canny with their cash than in previous years.
And while there is certainly a need for reinforcement in midfield, dropping such a huge transfer fee there while failing to sign a decent striker does not make much sense.
Not for sale
In any event, Tchouameni looks set to stay in Spain with Real Madrid not looking to cash in on the 25-year-old.
United’s interest, should it exist, is not surprising – the Frenchman is a world class midfielder who has also done an impressive job at centre-back.
But TEAMtalk relay that Xabi Alonso’s side are not “willing” to let the player leave. Alonso has been deeply impressed by Tchouameni at the Club World Cup, where the midfielder was key to Real’s 3-2 quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund.
The manager said: “Our system today was defined by Aurelien Tchouameni. We let him analyse what’s needed and decide where he needs to be.
“In some sequences he played high, and in others he dropped low in a back five. He did it really, really well.”
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
