Tchouameni Deal Stalls as Real Madrid Demand Wages Rethink

Manchester United's quest to bolster their midfield ranks has encountered yet another obstacle, with Real Madrid's Aurelien Tchouameni emerging as a potential solution—albeit one that remains frustratingly out of reach.

The Old Trafford club have already secured Ederson in central midfield this summer, but their attempts to add further reinforcements have proven troublesome. Elliot Anderson's move to Manchester City for a record £116m deal left United empty-handed, whilst Mateus Fernandes opted for Tottenham after the north London club matched West Ham's full £85m valuation without hesitation.

That sequence of disappointments has redirected attention toward the Real Madrid midfielder, a player long cherished at United as the natural heir to Casemiro. The 26-year-old Frenchman represents precisely the profile INEOS have been seeking.

Yet there's a significant complication. Real Madrid find themselves in a position requiring departures after completing an ambitious recruitment drive. Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella and Bernardo Silva have all arrived, with Jose Mourinho still keen to strengthen at centre-back and in midfield. As transfer correspondent Fabrizio Romano explained, the Spanish club must offload players to balance their books.

The problem, however, lies not merely in Madrid's asking price but in the player's salary expectations. Romano outlined that Tchouameni's current earnings—and what he would demand from United—are considered prohibitively expensive by the club's financial hierarchy. The wages alone represent a significant barrier to any agreement.

"Tchouameni is a dream signing for Man Utd, they love the player," Romano stated. "But at the moment, the financials of the deal are considered still too high. Because also the salary, it's not just about Real Madrid, it's also about the salary, his wages are considered too high."

Any pathway forward would require a dramatic recalibration from one or both parties. Without a fundamental shift in Tchouameni's salary demands, United's admiration for the midfielder appears destined to remain unfulfilled.

"So the only way to open doors for Tchouameni to Man Utd after missing out on Mateus Fernandes is to discuss a completely different salary," Romano concluded. "At the moment that's not something that's happening."