3 July 2026
The initial plan seemed straightforward: Real Madrid would bring in Enzo Fernandez, which would in turn pave the way for Aurelien Tchouameni to leave, with Manchester United ready to make their move.
Many believed that was exactly how events would unfold, with those expectations supported by a recent report previously shared by The Peoples Person.
That report claimed that the same amount Chelsea demanded for Fernandez, €120 million (£103m), was the figure Real Madrid would require to consider selling Tchouameni.
For Manchester United, the hope was that if Madrid succeeded in signing Fernandez, securing their dream target Tchouameni might suddenly become a realistic possibility.
After failing to land key targets such as Elliot Anderson, Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes, signing arguably the world’s best defensive midfielder would have been the perfect response.
Interestingly, while United refused to meet the high price tags for those other players, INEOS—who view the Real Madrid star as an ideal signing—were reportedly willing to break their existing wage structure to bring him to Old Trafford.
However, regardless of their willingness to spend big, Real Madrid seem to have given United a clear answer regarding Tchouameni’s future.
A recent statement from the Spanish giants confirming they are not pursuing Fernandez speaks volumes about Tchouameni’s situation and makes it clear he will not be leaving the club.
With Madrid no longer chasing their top midfield target, and Rodri, another potential option, expected to be unavailable due to injury at the start of the season, all signs now point to Tchouameni staying at the Santiago Bernabéu.
INEOS may need to once again rethink their midfield recruitment strategy.
If they continue to focus on Tchouameni despite mounting evidence he will remain in Madrid, they risk repeating the drawn-out Frenkie de Jong saga. That pursuit eventually led to the signing of Casemiro—a move that worked out through good fortune rather than planning.
United’s midfield rebuild cannot depend on luck, nor can they afford to delay their decisions as they did with Casemiro after months of chasing the unattainable de Jong.
Featured image: Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey via Getty Images
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