Manchester City have entered the race to sign Aurelien Tchouameni, who is also on the radars of clubs such as Liverpool and Manchester United.
According to ESPN, defending Premier League champions, Manchester City have joined Liverpool, Manchester United and others in the race to land promising AS Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.
The 21-year-old is one of the best young midfielders in the French top-flight and has seen his reputation continue to soar in recent times. He recently starred in France’s UEFA Nations League final win over Spain.
Replacing a player like N’Golo Kante is no mean feat, but the youngster was up for the task. Tchouameni partnered Paul Pogba and went on to give a real understanding of his potential. This augurs well for Manchester City, who will need to replace Fernandinho.
Monaco do not appear to be averse to selling their midfield ace. The French giants could part ways with the 21-year-old for a fee of about €60 million. Others in the fray include Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
Fernandinho has been a lynchpin for Guardiola’s Manchester City side in the last few years. However, at 36, he is nearing the end of his career and will see his contract at the Etihad expire next summer. While Rodri has stepped in and performed well, he does lack the all-round dynamism that Tchouamei brings to the table.
The youngster has, in fact, outperformed his Manchester City counterpart in certain parameters such as aerial prowess, shots taken and attacking intent. This is not to say that Tchouameni lacks defensively. He has made more tackles and interceptions than Rodri this season and will only get better.
The youngster can provide Guardiola with an option for years to come and is someone that Manchester City can build their midfield around and will be worth the buck. The same can be said of both Manchester United and Liverpool. The Red Devils face a pivotal few months where they hope to sign Paul Pogba on a new contract. However, should he depart, Tchouameni looks to be a name on Manchester United’s radar.
Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, needs to infuse some young blood into the Liverpool midfield. Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Thiago Alcantara are all in their thirties. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, meanwhile, are less than reliable given their injury concerns. The Reds have added Diogo Jota to the attack and Ibrahima Konate to the defence; the midfield has so far been ignored.
Tchouameni fits the bill well and could go on to become a major force for Liverpool for years to come. However, several stars have swapped Monaco for Manchester City in recent years, with two of them still at the club. Whether Tchouameni will follow in their footsteps and don the blue jersey or join Liverpool or Manchester United instead remains to be seen.