RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesMADRID, SPAIN - MAY 06: Aurelien Tchouameni player of Real Madrid is training at Ciudad Real Madrid on May 06, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid via Getty Images) | Real Madrid via Getty Images
The search for the third midfielder of the summer continues for Manchester United, but the patience so far has paid off with practical signings. The Reds secured quick deals for Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans as the World Cup began winding down, bringing Premier League-proven players to the heart of Michael Carrick’s side, but the marquee midfield signing many had expected hasn’t happened yet.
There were heavy links early in the summer to Aurelien Tchouameni, who starred for France in the United States last month until their semifinal exit. The Real Madrid player reportedly agreed to a new deal to stay with Los Blancos, but the recent interest in Rodri moving to the Spanish capital cast some doubt on his future in the team.
There was a report in The Guardian by Jamie Jackson on Monday that Tchouameni’s sale may be needed to finance the Rodri move. Eduardo Camavinga, another French midfielder at Madrid, was another name mentioned earlier in the window who has popped back up on the radar.
Real Madrid may need to generate finance in order to sign Rodri which may mean the sale of Aurélien Tchouaméni. #mufc retain an interest in Tchouaméni but earlier in the window were unsure if the fee Madrid would demand for him, around £70m, was within their budget. Eduardo… pic.twitter.com/4by9xRff3I
— utdreport (@utdreport) July 27, 2026
Manchester Evening News writer Steven Railston made another report that Tchouameni was at the top of the list at Old Trafford, but the expense involved is a big obstacle.
At United, the lack of sales at United and the goal by INEOS to avoid a bloated wage bill are big drawbacks for any potential move Real Madrid’s wages are quite high on average compared to what most Manchester United players make at the moment, and Tchouameni’s recent contract extension may have put him even further off the mark from what the United leadership are hoping to spend.
The transfer window has also been complicated by the inability to sell an injured Manuel Ugarte and Barcelona’s backing out of an option to sign Marcus Rashford permanently. While Rashford could contribute as a player in an area of need for United, INEOS have long wanted to move off of his contract.
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