Manchester United are being linked with another Madrid midfielder, and this one has an old-Pro endorsement behind it. Marcel Desailly has backed Aurélien Tchouaméni to try the Premier League, while reporting around Real Madrid says any summer sale would have to clear £85 million.

Desailly's case for Tchouaméni

Desailly's view is pretty direct. He said he would encourage Tchouaméni to try the Premier League, called United a "massive club" and a "massive name", and added that the France midfielder shows leadership and desire despite having had a difficult season.

That is the key part of the pitch. This is not being sold as a speculative gamble on talent alone, but as a player Desailly sees as ready for a bigger stage. He even said that when choosing between Konaté and Tchouaméni, he would "always choose Tchouaméni because of his desire".

The Madrid-to-Old Trafford sales pitch

United are also leaning on recent history. Desailly pointed to Raphaël Varane as the model, saying it could be a good move for Tchouaméni "just like when Raphaël Varane swapped Madrid for Manchester back in the day". Varane joined United in 2021 for around £41 million and made 95 appearances, winning the Carabao Cup and FA Cup.

The club can at least point to a respectable platform. United finished 3rd in the Premier League and won 3 of their last 5 league matches, while Madrid finished 2nd in La Liga and also won 3 of their last 5 league matches. The pitch is not being made from weakness, but from the idea that elite players can still cross that divide and perform.

The fee is the awkward bit. Diario AS claims any Madrid sale this summer must exceed £85 million, and that puts the deal into a very different bracket from the Varane move. Desailly's backing may help the conversation, but it does not change the size of the number United would have to meet.

Marcel Desailly's message is clear enough, though. He sees Tchouaméni as Premier League material, and he sees United as the kind of club that can sell that move. The question now is whether that £85 million-plus figure keeps the discussion where it is or pushes it any further.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 8 outlets. How we work →