Manchester United appear ready to ignite the next transfer window with a move bold enough to shift the balance of power across Europe.
Despite spending £215.3 million last summer on Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo, Benjamin Sesko, Diego Leon and Senne Lammens, the club’s hierarchy believes one major piece is still missing in the centre of the pitch.
Their search for a dominant holding midfielder has dragged on for months. Brighton’s Carlos Baleba was heavily pursued, yet the Seagulls’ £100 million valuation brought negotiations to a halt.
Persistent links to England internationals Elliot Anderson and Adam Wharton have followed, but none of those trails have heated up enough to spark real momentum.
Now, a new report from Defensa Central, via Football Talk, claims that United have set their sights on the most ambitious name yet: Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.
Aurelien Tchouameni: The Midfield Dream Manchester United Won’t Let Go
According to the report, United consider Tchouameni the ideal successor if they cannot reach a new agreement with Casemiro.
The Brazilian—signed for £70 million from Real Madrid in 2022—looked destined to leave Old Trafford, yet his recent resurgence has led the club to revisit contract talks.
Casemiro’s current deal runs until the end of the 2025/26 season with an option to extend, but United are pushing to reduce his weekly wages from £350,000 to around £130,000.
The likelihood of him rejecting such a cut leaves the door wide open for a new defensive midfielder.
And that is where Tchouameni comes in.
The Frenchman, valued at around £80 million, has become a cornerstone of Xabi Alonso’s Real Madrid side.
His contract at the Santiago Bernabéu runs until 2028, and club sources insist they have “no intention” of entertaining offers. They believe he is committed to fulfilling his deal and may even extend it further.
Real see Tchouameni as essential to their long-term project, describing him as the “undisputed leader of the Madrid midfield”.
The only scenario in which he leaves is if he personally requests an exit—something the club considers unlikely.
Still, United’s interest signals their determination to rebuild the heart of their squad. Whether the move is realistic or simply audacious ambition, Old Trafford has rarely witnessed a transfer chase of this scale.
And if they somehow pull it off, it would be the kind of signing that wins a window instantly.
