Manchester United made a serious push for Aurélien Tchouaméni, but the move did not get past Real Madrid. Defensa Central said the bid was rejected on Monday, with the offer described as €100 million plus €20 million in bonuses. Other reporting put the package at €120 million, which is a useful reminder that the fee talk around this one was not entirely consistent. The outcome was not: Madrid wanted to keep the midfielder, and a new five-year deal to June 2031 was already in motion.

The contract moved first

Fabrizio Romano said the issue was always the same. “Man United deal never close due to high salary and Madrid not opening doors to exit.” He also reported that a new deal at Madrid was all agreed until June 2031.

That fits the wider picture. Madrid are coming off a second-place finish in La Liga, with 77 league goals, and there was no obvious sporting reason to cash in on a 25-year-old midfielder they value highly. United, by contrast, finished third in the Premier League and won 20 of 38 league matches, which explains why they were still shopping at the top end of the market.

Mourinho’s role in the renewal

Jose Mourinho has been described as a significant voice behind the renewal. Romano said he was pushing to keep Tchouameni because he wants “fighters with a top mentality, physical players who can make a difference for the team.” Ben Jacobs added that Madrid had been open to a new deal, but Mourinho’s input helped speed things up.

The salary angle mattered too. Romano said Tchouameni’s wage demands were too high for United, and Jacobs reported that the midfielder would earn close to €13 million net per season under the new arrangement, making him one of Madrid’s highest earners. That is a steep number for any suitor, especially when the selling club is not interested in talking.

The clean read here is that United chased a major target, but Madrid had already settled on the opposite outcome. Tchouameni is staying, the new deal runs to June 2031, and the move United wanted never really opened up.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →