Krishnan Sreekumar
Transfer News: Manchester United battling Spanish giants for Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni
According to Tuesday’s edition of Sport (h/t Express), Manchester United are in contention amidst several European clubs to sign AS Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni at the end of the season, as the side looks for midfield reinforcements in the summer.
United currently only have Nemanja Matic, Fred, and Scott McTominay available in that position while Paul Pogba has also played as a number 6 if and when needed. However, the Serbian is not getting any younger at 33 while ‘McFred’ continues to divide opinions within our fanbase.
Clearly, the current situation for the club in the middle of the park demands that a new holding midfielder is snapped up ahead of the new season, and Tchouameni is said to have been identified as the man to do it. Pogba’s contract is up in the summer and that in itself cries out for us to replace him with a player of equal quality.
The Frenchman could be an alternative transfer option for West Ham United star Declan Rice, due to the Hammers man potentially costing the Old Trafford side a huge amount of money in transfer fees.
Long-term midfield option
Only 22 years old, the Monaco midfielder can prove to be a useful long-term option for United. Despite his age, the France international has established himself in the first team for the Ligue 1 side and has been a regular for the club in the past few seasons.
Any attempt made by the Red Devils to sign the talented midfield star will not be easy, as it is said that European heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid are also vying for his signature at the end of the season.
It will be nearly 4 years in the summer since Michael Carrick retired, and the club has barely made any attempts to plug this gap in midfield. Ander Herrera was let go for free soon after, and young prospect James Garner has been sent on loan to Nottingham Forest this season.
The lack of depth and quality in the middle of the park has been a weak link for United for years now, yet nothing has been done to solve the problem. Midfielders have been played out of position to make up for it, or existing players arguably do not possess the quality to fulfill the demands of the role.
More Manchester United News
- Manchester United looking to keep forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Martial beyond the summer
- Juventus earmark Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba as their primary target for the summer transfer window
- Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick has doubts regarding forward Cristiano Ronaldo
Tchouameni could be the man to provide us with quality and depth in the centre of the park, and with age on his side, he could be the midfield lynchpin for the club for years to come. An investment made in the French star now could prove to be worth the money a few years down the line. His valuation could be in the region of £50million this summer.
His performances for Monaco and the France national team prove that the 22-year-old has what it takes to succeed. We can only hope that the club pursues this move with avid interest, especially if we fail to land Rice. The Englishman has ample PL experience which may help him adjust at Man United quicker, but there is no doubting the Frenchman’s quality- if he is who we end up signing in the near future.
