Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder believes national team stint will help him regain early-season form
After arriving from AS Monaco last summer in a deal worth €80 million plus variables, Aurelien Tchouameni was thrust right into the spotlight following Casemiro’s departure to Manchester United.
And the Frenchman did not skip a beat as he quickly established himself as a permanent fixture at the base of Carlo Ancelotti’s three-man midfield.
However, things have not been going well for Tchouameni after the World Cup break, with the youngster losing his starting berth to compatriot Eduardo Camavinga in recent weeks due to his own subpar displays and the latter’s vastly improved performances.
But, according to MARCA, Tchouameni is confident that the time he spends with France in the ongoing international break will help him recover his early-season form.
The former Bordeaux sensation has been called up by Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps for their UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Netherlands and Ireland, along with Camavinga.
However, Tchouameni is likely to get the nod in the starting XI in midfield, with Deschamps confirming that Camavinga is in the squad as a backup left-back.
And the 23-year-old is of the belief that the stint with the national team could help him regain his form from the first half of the season, as he hopes to win his place back in Ancelotti’s setup.
Prior to the World Cup break, Tchouameni had missed just three games in all competitions for Real Madrid, two of which were because of injury. Of his 12 La Liga appearances before the Qatar trip, the midfielder had started 11.
Since returning, Tchouameni has made just four league starts out of his nine appearances. The midfielder also played just six minutes in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League tie against Liverpool after missing the first one due to fitness issues.
The youngster is not going through the best phase at the moment, as was visible in the error he made against RCD Espanyol. But, a return to the national team fold could be what is needed for Tchouameni to recover his best version.
Real Madrid News
Harry Kane ‘very close’ to completing Real Madrid move, only final details remain – report
Jude Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid was finally closed earlier today as officially confirmed by Borussia Dortmund on their website. Yet, the offices at Santiago Bernabeu have not even taken a break to celebrate their success.
According to reports from Alfredo Pedullà, Los Blancos are now completely focused on the acquisition of Harry Kane. The English striker’s arrival is very close to approaching closure and only a few details remain to be sorted.
The Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur representatives reportedly held a meeting today over the striker’s transfer. The agenda was to agree on a number for the transfer fee.
The Premier League side began the proceedings with an expectation of €100 to €110 million in exchange for Kane. However, the Merengues suggested a lower point at €80 to €90 million, albeit with the option to include bonuses.
There is not much separating the two parties at the moment, and the minor gap will be bridged in the coming days. Overall, the meeting ended with a broad understanding between the two clubs.
Carlo Ancelotti sees the English striker as the centre-piece of his attack for next season given the recent departure of Karim Benzema. After all, Kane has been one of football’s most consistent goalscorers over the past decade.
Yet, Los Blancos cannot afford to let their guard down with one signing and will need to rope in at least two more names in attack to serve as backup options. The exits of Mariano Diaz, Marco Asensio, and Eden Hazard leave them with no squad depth, after all.
Kane has scored 30, 17, and 23 goals in his last three seasons in the Premier League and is the epitome of consistency. Further, he had three assists in his most recent league season and created 14 big chances.
