Manchester United Open Talks with Real Madrid Over Aurélien Tchouameni

Manchester United have made initial contact with Real Madrid to explore a potential summer move for Aurélien Tchouameni, according to sources close to the situation. United are determined to revamp their midfield after missing out on two prime targets last week. Elliot Anderson joined Manchester City from Nottingham Forest for €135m (£116m), a British record fee, while Mateus Fernandes moved from West Ham to Tottenham for €99m (£85m). That combined €234m midfield spending by rivals has accelerated United’s search for a top-tier anchor. Tchouameni, 26, has long been admired by Old Trafford's hierarchy. He is seen internally as the ideal replacement for Casemiro—a player with elite mentality and world-class quality. But any deal faces significant hurdles. insider reports that United have already communicated to Tchouameni’s camp that a transfer would require salary concessions. The France international earns a substantial wage at the Bernabéu, and United have made clear they cannot match those terms. More critically, Real Madrid have not given United any green light to open formal negotiations. The La Liga champions appear reluctant to part with Tchouameni, though there have been whispers that new head coach José Mourinho might need to sell to fund his own reinforcements. Eduardo Camavinga is reportedly the player Real would prefer to move on, but he also wants to stay. Tchouameni’s immediate focus is on the World Cup. He is expected to be fit for Thursday’s quarterfinal against Morocco after recovering from a thigh injury that kept him out of the round‑of‑16 win over Paraguay. He has made three appearances so far in the tournament and is aiming to help France reach the semifinals.