Manchester United believe Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is the ‘perfect player’ to replace Casemiro this summer, according to reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Red Devils are poised to reinforce their midfield department in the coming weeks. Casemiro will formally depart when his contract expires on June 30. Manuel Ugarte has also been deemed surplus to requirements, and he is expected to be sold.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano has now revealed that Tchouameni is the Red Devils’ dream target, and he is considered the ‘perfect player’ to replace Casemiro due to his winning mentality.
He said: “For Man Utd, Tchouameni is kind of a dream target. Man Utd believe Tchouameni could be the perfect player in midfield to replace Casemiro, coming from the same club, Real Madrid, with a winning mentality. International, who can defend, who can score some goals.”
However, the respected journalist added that a deal could be difficult due to two major problems. Tchouameni’s current salary is huge, while Los Blancos have repeatedly mentioned that they plan to keep hold of the Frenchman beyond the summer.
Romano added: “Two problems, the first is the salary, which is huge. Second, Real Madrid keep saying in public and also in private that their intention is to keep Tchouameni.”
United face a tough challenge to land Tchouameni
The former Monaco man signed for Madrid for an initial £68m in the summer of 2022. He has since been a key player in the heart of the midfield, making almost 200 appearances.
In the recent 2025/26 campaign, Tchouameni had a passing accuracy of 92 percent from 33 La Liga games. He won 68 percent of his duels with two tackles, two clearances and four recoveries per match.
The Frenchman also lost possession on just 6.2 occasions per outing. He would be a proper upgrade and a better signing than Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, who loses the ball regularly (17 times/game).
United should have the funds to afford his signature this summer, but the big question remains whether Tchouameni will be permitted to leave, particularly with the likely arrival of Jose Mourinho as Madrid’s new manager.
Mourinho likes to work with a strong ball-playing number six, and Tchouameni fits the bill. A transfer away from Los Blancos could largely depend on the midfielder pushing for a move away.
He is currently on a basic salary of £208,000 per week and may want at least £300,000 weekly to make the switch to Old Trafford. With Casemiro, Jadon Sancho, and Marcus Rashford poised to leave this summer, United will have just one player – captain Bruno Fernandes in the £300,000 per week bracket.
The next highest earner is Matthijs de Ligt at £195,000 per week. Tchouameni would be a massive signing in the prime of his career at 26, but the Red Devils may need to make a huge outlay in terms of wages. It is within the club’s financial capacity, but a summer deal looks tough to finalise at this point.
Stats from Transfermark.com, Sofascore.com & Capology.com