Aurélien Tchouaméni is set to begin the 2026/27 season with a new Real Madrid contract, although the final signature, official presentation and one last meeting are still pending. The agreement would keep him in Madrid until 2031, a five-season extension that underlines how firmly the club see him in their plans. The reported salary is around €9 million net per season, below the €12 million figure that had appeared in some reports.

Madrid's decision on Tchouaméni

This has been framed as a straightforward retention move rather than a drawn-out fight. Tchouaméni has been presented as believing Real Madrid is the ideal place to continue his career, which explains why the talks have not turned messy. Real Madrid never entered discussions over a possible transfer to Manchester United, and United understood an approach would be unsuccessful.

The club's form also fits the mood around the deal. Real Madrid finished 2nd in La Liga with 86 points, and they scored 77 league goals, so locking down a midfield base is not exactly a wild decision. They also won 4 of their last 5 league matches, which is the sort of run that makes a long-term renewal look like standard business rather than a statement of panic.

Mourinho's view of the midfielder

Jose Mourinho has also been described as seeing Tchouaméni as one of the best leaders in the team heading into the new season. That is a useful line of support for a player whose value at Madrid goes beyond simple ball-winning or passing volume. In the same discussion, the renewal was framed against doubts over Federico Valverde's leadership qualities, which puts Tchouaméni closer to the club's centre of gravity than some of the noise around him might suggest.

On the evidence available, Madrid are not gambling here. They are keeping a key midfielder, doing it on a reported salary below the figure that had circulated elsewhere, and doing it without a transfer chase from Manchester United hanging over the story. The remaining step is the formal one, with the final signature and presentation still to come.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →