Man Utd Add Real Madrid Star to ‘Casemiro Replacement Shortlist’

A Premier League alternative reportedly remains Manchester United’s “top target.”

Aurélien Tchouaméni (left) and Eduardo Camavinga could both soon be on the market. | Ricardo Larreina/Europa Press/Getty Images

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing up Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni as a potential successor to Casemiro this summer, although he is hardly the only option.

Tchouaméni is a new name to drift across United’s radar. Since confirmation of Casemiro’s exit emerged in January, the search for a defensive midfielder to plug that impending gap has inspired a raft of potential targets. Most of those linked with a move to Old Trafford already reside in the Premier League, with the likes of Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali battling against Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest for prominence.

However, Tchouaméni has now been floated as a prospect by The Telegraph. The towering defensive totem is thought to “feature prominently” on United’s list of Casemiro replacements, with his trophy-laden experience at Real Madrid painting him out as an intriguing prospect.

Yet, there are still a lot of hurdles to jump over for this prospect to become a reality.

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What Man Utd Would Have to Do to Sign Aurelien Tchouameni?

Aurélien Tchouaméni joined Real Madrid for a hefty fee of around $84 million. | Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Tchouaméni will not come cheap. The 26-year-old is entering his prime years and still has a contract until 2028. Real Madrid signed the talented midfielder from Monaco four years ago for a steep fee in the region of $84 million (€80 million). After adding La Liga and Champions League titles to his list of honors across 190 appearances for arguably the biggest club on the planet, Tchouaméni’s valuation has almost certainly increased in this inflated market.

The Telegraph also stress that any exit for Tchouaméni would have to be balanced by a fresh recruit for Real Madrid. Midfield has been a problem area of the pitch in the Spanish capital ever since the trio which oversaw three consecutive Champions League titles—Casemiro himself along with Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić—was broken up.

Tchouaméni was brought in to theoretically bridge the gap between one generational midfield to another, but the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde have failed to live up to the legendary standards of their predecessors. Which, in truth, is hardly a great point of shame.

In what promises to be a summer dominated by the midfield merry-go-round, Madrid could set the wheel spinning with the acquisition of Manchester City’s Rodri.

Even if the fates did align for Madrid to be willing to sanction an exit for Tchouaméni, there is no guarantee that United would prioritize his arrival over some of their other options.

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How Aurelien Tchouameni Compares to Man Utd’s Other Midfield Targets

Elliott Anderson could cost Manchester United a record fee. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

As outlined by The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Forest’s schemer Elliot Anderson remains Manchester United’s “top target” in the middle of the pitch. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, they face fierce competition from Manchester City, who may be forced to replace their own defensive totem should Rodri fulfill his ambitions of a switch to Madrid.

Tchouaméni is more obviously defensively minded than some of United’s first-choice picks. Anderson is a famed all-rounder, leading all Premier League midfielders this season in categories as distinct as passes and duels won.

Crystal Palace’s deep-lying playmaker Adam Wharton, another potential target, boasts an even more velvety touch, ranking fourth across the entire division for through balls this season with 20. Tchouaméni, for comparison, has completed six all year.

However, the attraction to the France international is obvious. United are trying to replace Casemiro, so why not buy the player who replaced him at Real Madrid in the first place?

The similarities between the two are obvious: both are commanding aerial presences as well as tough tacklers. There is a feverish desire to consistently improve which burns bright in this pair of supreme professionals, which would serve Tchouaméni well in the difficult environment some have found at United.

Yet, Tchouaméni lacks Casemiro’s subtlety in and, particularly, out of possession: those seemingly minor decisions of when to step forward or how hard to pass the ball which separate the very good from the elite. Real Madrid let Casemiro leave after he had turned 30 thinking, inaccurately based upon this season’s performances, that his best years were behind him. The Spanish giants would not be prepared to part ways with a 26-year-old starter unless there were some flaws to his game.

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