Manchester United have been dealt another crushing setback in their pursuit of a world-class midfielder this summer.
According to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Aurelien Tchouameni has agreed a contract extension with Real Madrid.
The French international is now expected to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2031.
United had been closely monitoring his situation and were prepared to launch a blockbuster move if the opportunity arose.
Earlier reports suggested Madrid could cash in on Tchouameni to make room for a marquee creative midfielder.
That possibility has now disappeared, forcing INEOS to quickly reassess their midfield plans.
United reached an agreement with Atalanta last month for the transfer of Ederson. The 26-year-old received an 11th-hour call-up to the Brazil squad for the FIFA World Cup.
The Selecao suffered a shock elimination in the Round of 16, paving the way for United to formally complete a deal soon.
Earlier today, it also emerged that United have agreed a £50 million deal with Chelsea for highly rated midfielder Andrey Santos.
A midfield trio consisting of Tchouameni, Santos and Ederson would have represented a dream rebuild for the Red Devils.
Santos has only one season of Premier League experience and remains a player with enormous room for development.
Ederson arrives with an outstanding reputation from Serie A but he is still expected to need time before fully adapting to the demands of English football.
Tchouameni may never have played in the Premier League, but his elite quality suggested he could have made an immediate impact.
His defensive intelligence and physical dominance would have made him the perfect partner for Kobbie Mainoo.
INEOS have already endured a frustrating start to the transfer window.
The club withdrew from the races for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali after discovering the extraordinary fees being demanded.
Tottenham Hotspur paid West Ham United a guaranteed £85m to snatch Mateus Fernandes from under United’s noses.
With Tchouameni now committing his future to Real Madrid, INEOS must urgently identify another elite midfielder capable of transforming the starting XI.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com