Aurelien Tchouameni's Future at Real Madrid in Doubt

Aurelien Tchouameni walked into Real Madrid as the future of their midfield. Two years on, he’s being told there are no guarantees he’s even part of the long-term plan.

That message has not stayed in-house for long. Liverpool and Manchester United, long-time admirers of the France international, have been alerted to a shifting landscape at the Bernabeu and are already positioning themselves in case Madrid decide to cash in.

Mourinho’s rebuild puts Tchouameni on the line

Jose Mourinho has arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu with a brief to reshape a squad that has dominated Europe but needs renewal. No department is being spared – not even the midfield that was supposed to be Madrid’s next great era.

Inside the club, there is now a genuine belief that Tchouameni, 26, could become one of the headline departures before the transfer window closes. He has been informed that his role is no longer ring-fenced, with the club making it clear there will be no promises over his long-term status.

That represents a sharp turn from earlier this year. After his well-publicised training-ground altercation with Federico Valverde, Madrid publicly insisted the former Monaco midfielder remained central to their plans and brushed off any talk of a sale. The stance has softened. Mourinho’s arrival has accelerated a reconstruction that is already reshaping the dressing room.

The defence has been bolstered with Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella. Bernardo Silva has arrived from Manchester City to add guile and craft further up the pitch. And Madrid are nowhere near finished.

• Enzo Fernandez is high on their midfield shortlist.
• Rodri remains a dream target.
• West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes is being closely tracked.
• There is even talk of reviving a move for Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise, with the hierarchy prepared to push hard again if the numbers make sense.

All of that traffic leads to one conclusion: someone established will have to make way. Inside the club, Tchouameni is now seen as one of the prime candidates.

Liverpool and United ready to pounce

The ripple effect has reached England quickly. Lines of communication between Tchouameni’s camp and both Liverpool and Manchester United have stayed open throughout the summer, and both clubs have now been fully briefed on Madrid’s changing stance.

Liverpool’s interest is not new. They pushed hard for him during his Monaco days, only to see him choose Madrid in 2022. The admiration never faded. With questions over the long-term futures of several current midfielders and the recruitment team looking beyond domestic options such as Adam Wharton and Alex Scott, Tchouameni is viewed as a plug-and-play solution – a player who could walk into Anfield and immediately raise the level.

Manchester United see the same thing from a different angle. At Old Trafford, Tchouameni has been on their radar for years, filed firmly under “elite”. Decision-makers there believe he could transform the balance of their midfield, adding control, physicality and top-level experience in one move.

Arsenal and Chelsea are monitoring developments, but at this stage Liverpool and United are considered the best placed to move if Madrid formally open the door.

A €100m decision

Inside the Bernabeu offices, the logic is cold. To fund more marquee arrivals, Madrid accept that at least one major sale is inevitable. Tchouameni, with two years left on his current deal and a strong reputation across Europe, is one of the assets most likely to command a significant fee.

The figure being discussed in Spain is around €100m (£87m, $115m).

Push too far beyond that, and Madrid know they risk scaring off even the richest suitors in a market where clubs are increasingly wary of inflated prices.

Both Liverpool and United have shown that caution already. United have walked away from Sandro Tonali and Elliot Anderson due to soaring valuations. Liverpool have been equally reluctant to overpay for Premier League targets.

Tchouameni sits in a different category. His pedigree with France, his Champions League experience, his age and ceiling – all of it makes that kind of fee easier for top clubs to justify compared to many of the numbers currently being thrown around.

Madrid, for their part, believe his stock is high enough right now to bring in the kind of money that can power Mourinho’s rebuild without dragging negotiations into a summer-long saga.

Camavinga warned, pressure rising

Tchouameni is not alone in feeling the squeeze. Eduardo Camavinga has also been warned that his place is not immune if Madrid complete further midfield signings. Competition is about to intensify. Reputations will not be enough.

For Liverpool and United, the situation is clear. A player they both chased, then watched slip away to Spain, may finally be within reach again. The price is steep, but the opportunity is rare: a ready-made, world-class midfielder entering his prime, potentially prised from Real Madrid.

Now the question hangs over the market: who moves first, and who is prepared to test Madrid’s resolve at €100m?