Real Madrid are open to selling Aurelien Tchouameni for the right price and Liverpool are ‘willing’ to spare no expense in their second attempt to sign the French midfielder, according to a report.
Liverpool previously attempted to sign Tchouameni in the summer of 2022 while the midfielder was on the books at Monaco. The Reds were in active negotiations for the player, though he only had eyes for Real Madrid.
“The first club to show interest in me was Liverpool,” Tchouameni told Le Parisien in the months after signing for Real Madrid. “There were discussions, but as soon as Real Madrid entered, my mind was made up.
“I didn’t hesitate for a second. I told my agent, take me to Real Madrid.”
But according to a fresh update from Spanish outlet Fichajes, Real Madrid have opened the door for Tchouameni to join Liverpool three years later in the summer of 2025.
They state Real Madrid have ‘put Tchouameni on the way out’ and ‘would not be against selling him if a suitable offer arrives.’ On the subject of how big of a bid is required, the report pointed to an €80m (£66.7m / $89m) fee.
Liverpool, meanwhile were described as ‘willing to bet heavily on the midfielder.’
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Tchouameni to Liverpool chances laid bare
Liverpool sought to strengthen their midfield over the summer, though failed to land No 1 target Martin Zubimendi.
The prospect of re-entering the market for the Real Sociedad ace in January has been floated. Manchester City too – on the back of losing Rodri to season-ending knee surgery – have shown interest.
Tchouameni would represent more of a destructive option when compared to Zubimendi who thrives as a deep-lying playmaker.
However, it is important to note that Fichajes are not known for being among the more reliable outlets when it comes to transfer news.
The publication claimed Real Madrid’s strength in depth is a factor behind their apparent willingness to cash in on Tchouameni.
However, Toni Kroos hung up his boots over the summer and Luka Modric – aged 39 – may follow suit when his contract expires at season’s end.
Furthermore, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano previously poured cold water on the idea of Tchouameni leaving Los Blancos when addressing the subject in September.
“We saw these rumours in England and we keep receiving many questions on Tchouameni because the summer transfer window just closed. Many people raised rumours about Liverpool, Arsenal, Tchouameni in 2025,” Romano said on his Here We Go podcast.
“I wanted to clarify something for 2024, 2025, 2026, whenever. The intention of Aurelien Tchouameni is to stay in Real Madrid.
“The intention of Real Madrid is to keep Aurelien Tchouameni as a crucial player for that project. For present and future. They are in love with Tchouameni; with the player, with the professional.”
Mudryk, Mbeumo rumours / Alisson exclusive
In other news, further reports out of Spain have remarkably claimed Liverpool are taking a look at Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk.
Alisson Becker has emerged as a concrete transfer target for German giant Bayern Munich who could replace Manuel Neuer in 2025.
TEAMtalk understands the Brazilian will review his situation at the end of the season, at which point Giorgi Mamardashvili will arrive on Merseyside.
We’ve also been told that despite public claims to the contrary, Alisson does feel aggrieved at the club effectively signing his replacement while he remains arguably the world’s best player in the goalkeeping position.
Elsewhere, TEAMtalk can also confirm Liverpool interest in Brentford hotshot Bryan Mbeumo is genuine. The 25-year-old would be viewed as the de facto replacement for Mohamed Salah should he not sign a new contract. Salah is in the final year of his deal.
How Tchouameni has fared since Liverpool transfer miss
In each of the past three summer transfer windows, Liverpool have had a dream midfield target they have attempted to sign but missed out on.
This year it was Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad. Last year, it was Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund. And back in 2022, it was Tchouameni from Monaco.
Their pursuits of Bellingham and Tchouameni both ground to a halt when Real Madrid signed each player instead. Most people are aware of how well England international Bellingham has done at the Bernabeu, but what about his French teammate?
Having cost Real Madrid an initial €80m, Tchouameni instantly became a regularly used player by Carlo Ancelotti. In his debut season, he made 50 appearances; 33 were starts and 17 were as a substitute. He did not score in any of those games and his form tailed off towards the end of the campaign, but he provided assists against Espanyol (home and away), Atletico Madrid and Cadiz.
His debut also led to his first honour, as Los Blancos won the UEFA Super Cup (preceding FIFA Club World Cup and Copa del Rey triumphs later in the season).
Last season, Tchouameni became important to Madrid in a way they might not have expected. This time, in part due to injuries, he only made 38 appearances, but 10 of those were as a centre-back as he helped account for other absences and showed his versatility.
Nevertheless, when playing in his preferred position of defensive midfield, he contributed three goals: against Girona, Las Palmas and Mallorca.
In addition to helping his side win LaLiga, he played the full 90 minutes of the Supercopa de Espana final, which they also won, but was an unused substitute (having originally thought to have been ruled out by injury) for the Champions League final, having made eight appearances on the run up to their 15th European title.
This season started with another full appearance towards a trophy as Real Madrid won the UEFA Super Cup again. Tchouameni has mainly been restored to a midfield position, but has still covered in defence once within his nine outings.
Tchouameni remains a regular sight in France international squads too. Of his 36 caps, 24 have come since he joined Real Madrid – including his involvement at the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024
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