United surge ahead of Arsenal in race for one of worlds best midfielders, Wilcox pushing hard to seal 87m deal – report

Manchester United are facing new rivals in the race to sign Real Madrid superstar Aurelien Tchouameni as hopes grow of a blockbuster exit from the Santiago Bernabeu, according to a new report. “Dream Target” The Red Devils are prioritising a major revamp in midfield this summer, with Casemiro having already departed and Manuel Ugarte, 25, being pushed towards the exit door, having failed his audition as a successor to the 34-year-old Brazilian. A £39 million deal has already been agreed for Ederson, Atalanta’s 26-year-old all-action dynamo, while talks are underway to make West Ham starlet Mateus Fernandes the second addition in the engine room. But the ‘marquee’ signing to replace Casemiro remains unfilled, with both options best deployed in box-to-box roles rather than as a holding midfielder. Elliot Anderson has long been the club’s first choice for this position, but the Nottingham Forest talisman is on the verge of arriving in the blue half of Manchester. However, Fabrizio Romano has stated Tchouameni is the “dream target” for the Red Devils, with recruitment director Christopher Vivell understood to be pushing hard for the France international. Tchouameni’s contract with Real runs until 2028, and there is a willingness on both sides to extend. But the arrival of Jose Mourinho at the behest of Florentino Perez, fresh from winning re-election as president, has thrown the Spanish giant into a state of flux, with an aggressive transfer policy already underway. If Los Blancos want to generate funds to pursue a midfield maestro like Manchester City’s Rodri or Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, Tchouameni could be sacrificed as Mourinho does not consider him “untouchable” in the way he does with teammates Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham. Eyed by England’s Elite TEAMtalk reveals sources at Old Trafford believe there is a “genuine chance the 26-year-old could leave Madrid this summer”. Lines of communication between United’s hierarchy, spearheaded by Jason Wilcox, and the player’s camp have remained “open throughout the summer.” “The Old Trafford hierarchy have also monitored the Frenchman for several years and regard him as one of the elite midfielders in world football. Sources suggest United see him as a player who could transform the balance and quality of their midfield unit.” However, the report also states this belief is shared at Anfield, with Liverpool in constant dialogue with Tchouameni as well. The bitter enemies are considered the two “most likely destinations should he decide to move to England.” Interestingly, both Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be monitoring the situation, though neither London club is as well positioned as their north-west rivals. Xabi Alonso has taken charge at Stamford Bridge six months after his dismissal as Real manager, where Tchouameni was ever-present under the Spanish tactician. TEAMtalk claims Tchouameni has “now been made aware that his place in Mourinho’s plans is no longer guaranteed”, with internal recognition at the Bernabeu that he is “one of the most valuable assets” the ‘Special One’ is content to part ways with. Real would demand a fee in the region of €100m (£87m) to sanction a sale, which would be a huge outlay, but still cheaper than the prices being quoted for targets like Anderson or Sandro Tonali. Final Thoughts While both Ederson and Mateus Fernandes are talented midfielders with the flexibility to play across a variety of roles and systems, neither offers the profile needed to fill the hole Casemiro’s exit has created. Tchouameni, signed by Real from AS Monaco in the same summer the Brazilian moved to Manchester, has already done exactly that under the bright lights of the most pressurised environment in world football. The Frenchman is exactly what the doctor ordered at the Theatre of Dreams to cure the midfield problems; INEOS must move aggressively to fend off their rivals and secure the antidote. 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 Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.