Fabrizio Romano says Manchester United have made Aurélien Tchouaméni their ideal midfield signing, but the move is being held up by two very basic obstacles. United have told his camp the deal would need a different salary structure, and Real Madrid have not given a green light to negotiate. Tchouaméni is under contract until 2028, and Madrid are asking for at least €100 million.

The salary problem

Romano’s wording was blunt. “The only way for Tchouameni to go eventually to Man Utd is on a different salary,” he said, which is as clear a warning as United can get at this stage. The issue is not a minor adjustment either, because the player is already on a Real Madrid contract and the club have every reason to protect their position.

Romano also described Tchouaméni as “the perfect signing for midfield. Top player, elite mentality, world class.” That is the kind of praise United rarely hear used casually, and it explains why they are pushing. But admiration is only half the job in a deal like this. If the wage structure does not move, the conversation stalls before it becomes serious.

Madrid are not opening the door

The bigger problem is still Madrid. Romano said United are “yet to receive any green light from Real Madrid to go and negotiate for Tchouameni,” and that matters more than any public interest from Old Trafford.

Madrid’s stance is backed up by their own situation. They are second in La Liga with 86 points from 38 matches, while United are third in the Premier League with 71 points from 38 matches. United’s five-game league run of WWDWW shows they are operating from a place of strength, not desperation, but that does not change what Madrid control here. They also regard Tchouaméni as worth at least €100 million, and the sources say he is the only senior pure defensive midfielder in their squad.

That is why the comparison with Eduardo Camavinga keeps cropping up in the background. Madrid have midfield quality, and they do not look remotely eager to weaken it. Unless that stance changes, United are left with a dream target, a hard wage problem and no permission to begin proper talks.

For now, this looks more like a statement of interest than a live negotiation, and the next move sits with Madrid rather than United.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 11 outlets. How we work →