Real Madrid are reportedly frontrunners in the race to sign Monaco’s £67million-rated talent Aurelien Tchouameni, who’s been strongly linked with Chelsea already this year.
According to The Telegraph, Madrid have now made a first move to try sign the 22-year-old.
The report explains it’s a blow to potential suitors Manchester City, who have been eyeing the midfielder as a potential replacement for Fernandinho.
Madrid appear to be the new single favourites to sign Monaco’s highly-rated youngster, despite the fact they were recently linked alongside Paris Saint-Germain as a most likely destination.
Chelsea, whose focus won’t be on targets right now due to their search for new ownership, aren’t allowed to engage in transfer activity under current sanctions.
The Blues have received plenty of links to Tchouameni, though.
It was reported at the beginning of March that Chelsea may need to move on either Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante or Jorginho in order to sign transfer target Tchouameni.
Chelsea midfield
It’s going to be intriguing to see how the Blues midfield evolves in the next year or two.
Tchouameni ticks so many boxes as an aggressive defensive midfielder, so it’ll be no surprise to see Madrid get this deal wrapped up.
Jorginho and Kante, both 30-plus, are two Chelsea midfielders still capable of playing at the very highest level. However, everyone nowadays is often so obsessed with younger players.
Box-to-box England midfielder Conor Gallagher is surely someone that comes into contention for next season when he returns to Stamford Bridge from his loan at Crystal Palace.
It would be great to find a new defensive midfielder if sanctions allow.
