Man United had £79m transfer bid rejected to sign "technical" Real Madrid star - report
Manchester United are reportedly keen to add a defensive midfielder in the January transfer window.
Ruben Amorim will be back at Carrington this week, preparing his Manchester United players for a game against Everton on Monday night football. If they win, Man United could climb up to third in the Premier League table, and it would be a fifth game unbeaten in a row.
The Red Devils do still have some weaknesses, though, as Amorim’s system still doesn’t fit a lot of the players who were at the club before the manager came in. The big issue they have is the defensive midfielder position, as Casemiro’s contract is due to expire at the end of the season, and United need someone who can work well with Bruno Fernandes.
Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest is seemingly the number one target at the moment. It has been reported that United have made an official approach for the England international, but Forest are going to cost the Red Devils over £100m if they want to sign him. New reports are now saying that United now consider a midfielder from Real Madrid.
Man United see £79m bid rejected for a Real Madrid star
United have been linked with Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga in the past, however, fresh reports in Spain are suggesting that the Red Devils are targeting a different Madrid star to boost their midfield this winter.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Man United sent a £79m bid to Real Madrid for Aurelien Tchouameni, but it was rejected by Madrid, as they don’t want to sell the 25-year-old for any price, regardless of how good the offer is. The news comes as a surprise, as United spent over £170m in the summer, so an additional £80m or so would be a huge financial hit.
Whether the reports are true or not stands to be debated, but what is a fact is that the French midfielder would be an excellent signing at Old Trafford. Tchouameni’s former coach at Monaco Robert Moreno told Sky Sports that Madrid have got themselves a superb midfielder there. He said: “He is strong but technical.
“He is a complete player. I think he will keep improving. He is one of the biggest talents. He could stay at Real Madrid for years and go on to become one of the best midfielders in the world for the next decade.”
Tchouameni would be a great Casemiro replacement
If United were to sign the French international, he would be the perfect player to replace Casemiro with when the Brazilian eventually leaves. His current contract at Old Trafford is due to expire in June, but reports have said that the midfielder could stay at United, if he takes a pay cut.
Casemiro is currently the highest-paid United player and the club can’t afford to match his current wages in a new contract. It is understood that the midfielder is happy at United, and so could sign a new, cheaper deal.
But, there has been reported interest from the Saudi Pro League, and at the age of 33, he may decide he wants to wind down his career and move away from the Premier League for the next couple of seasons.