Liverpool are still keeping lines open with Aurélien Tchouaméni's camp, even after his new Real Madrid deal. The midfielder has signed through to 2031, and the key question now is not the contract itself, but whether he stays a regular in Real Madrid's side or slips into a squad role.

Liverpool's interest has not gone away

Liverpool were Tchouameni’s No 1 transfer target in the summer of 2022, and that history still matters here. Graeme Bailey said the club have maintained communication with the player’s camp, while also making clear that Liverpool are not actively pushing for a deal right now.

Bailey’s line that Tchouameni would not accept being “merely a squad player” at the Santiago Bernabeu is the part to watch. If his standing in Madrid changes, Liverpool are already positioned to revisit the situation.

The timing also fits Liverpool’s current position. They are sixth in the Premier League with nine points from five league games, and their recent league form is unbeaten. That is not the profile of a club forced into a panic move, but it does leave room to keep a name like Tchouameni in play.

Madrid still control the situation

The other side of this is straightforward enough. Real Madrid are fourth in La Liga with 15 points from seven matches, and Tchouameni has started two of their last four games since returning from injury. He missed the first four league matches of the new season, but his recent starts suggest he is still being used.

There is also the work he has already put in at Madrid. Tchouameni has made 199 appearances for the club, which is a strong marker of how established he has been there. He and Federico Valverde have started together twice, against Elche and Atletico Madrid, and they were paired for 86 minutes against Elche before managing just 55 passes between them in the derby.

For Liverpool, the headline is not that a deal is imminent. It is that the conversation has stayed alive while Madrid decide how central Tchouameni remains. That leaves the 2031 contract in place, but not necessarily the whole story if his role changes again.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →