Manchester United could make a push to sign AS Monaco and France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni once Erik ten Hag takes over as the manager.
According to ESPN, Erik ten Hag, who is the favourite to become the next Manchester United manager, wants to sign AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old is also a target for Chelsea.
Ten Hag, who is currently the manager of AFC Ajax, is likely to take over the reins at Manchester United at the end of the season, with the appointment close to being finalised. The 52-year-old will have a gargantuan task to take the Red Devils back to the pinnacle of English football, and it will start with a huge squad restructure in the upcoming transfer window.
At least one top centre-forward will be needed this summer, while the midfield department also needs a major restructure. Paul Pogba could depart at the end of the season when his contract expires, while Nemanja Matic is in the final phase of his career. With neither Fred no Scott McTominay looking comfortable playing as a No. 6, a proper defensive midfielder needs to be signed.
Declan Rice has been a top target for Manchester United but will command a fee of over £100 million. So, it seems like Erik ten Hag has a different player in his sights for the role in the form of Aurelien Tchouameni of AS Monaco. The 22-year-old, a former prospect of Bordeaux, has flourished since signing for the Principality outfit in January 2020.
Tchouameni has grown into one of the best defensive midfielders in Ligue 1 and has forced his way into the French national team. The youngster was part of the squad that won the UEFA Nations League last year. A player with great game-reading abilities, the French ace is a tough-tackling, robust midfielder who also possesses a good range of distribution.
These qualities have helped him attract interest from several top clubs across the continent, with Manchester United also entering the fray now. However, the 20-time English champions will likely have to battle arch-rivals Chelsea in the race for the Monaco midfielder.
Indeed, Chelsea have been long-term admirers of Tchouameni and have been keeping tabs on his progress for some time now. With Jorginho and N’Golo Kante performing below their best this season, it bodes well for the Blues to plan for the future, making the Monaco midfielder a viable target.
But, as things stand, Chelsea’s situation due to the sanctions by the UK Government complicates matters for them, which might give Manchester United an edge in pursuit of Tchouameni. Monaco, for their part, are open to selling and would seek a fee between €60 million and €70 million, which should not be an issue at Old Trafford. It remains to be seen if Chelsea make a push to sign the Frenchman or look elsewhere.
