Real Madrid News
Real Madrid rule out the sale of Manchester United target, working on contract renewal
As already confirmed, Manchester United have identified Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as their ideal replacement for Casemiro.
The Premier League club have monitored the 26-year-old for some time, but prising the French midfielder away from the Santiago Bernabeu appears to be an extremely difficult task.
That is because, as reported by SPORT, Real Madrid remain firm in their stance that Tchouameni is not for sale.
Real Madrid’s Position Is Clear
With Casemiro having left Old Trafford and uncertainty also surrounding Manuel Ugarte’s future, Manchester United are searching for a new defensive midfielder to anchor the team.
Tchouameni has emerged as one of their preferred targets thanks to his performances at Real Madrid, where he has gradually established himself as a key figure after arriving from AS Monaco in 2022.
However, Real Madrid have informed Manchester United that they are not interested in negotiating for the French international.
Tchouameni remains under contract until 2028 and has a €1 billion release clause, underlining the club’s determination to keep him.
The Merengues would only consider a sale if the player himself requested to leave, similar to the circumstances surrounding Casemiro’s move to Manchester United in 2022.
Even in that scenario, the Spanish capital giants would demand a fee of at least €120 million.
Mourinho counts on Tchouameni
The report further states that new Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho is said to view Tchouameni as an important part of his plans.
That further reduces the likelihood of a transfer, with the Portuguese coach eager to build his midfield around the Frenchman.
The financial side would also be complicated for Manchester United, as Tchouameni is already among Real Madrid’s highest earners, receiving around €15.5 million per year including bonuses.
Contract extension in the works
Rather than preparing for a departure, Real Madrid are believed to be working on extending Tchouameni’s contract.
Initial discussions have reportedly begun over a new deal that would keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2031 while rewarding him with an improved salary.
For now, Manchester United may admire Tchouameni from afar, but convincing either the player or Real Madrid to part ways looks like a formidable challenge.
In what will come as a pleasing development for fans, Fabrizio Romano reports that Real Madrid forward Rodrygo could make a comeback from his injury earlier than expected.
The 25-year-old Brazilian international has been out of action since March after suffering an ACL injury during a La Liga game against Getafe.
Due to the complete rupture of the ACL, coupled with associated meniscus damage, it was suggested that the attacker was staring at a lengthy time out on the sidelines and might not return until 2027.
In fact, the forward’s father, Eric Goes, recently stated in an interview that the Real Madrid ace could be back in February next year, just before the business end of the campaign.
Rodrygo could be back in December
However, as per the update from Romano, Rodrygo’s comeback could happen well before that expected date.
Indeed, if things continue to progress at the current rate, the 25-year-old attacker might return to action in December or by January 2027 at the latest.
This will come as a welcome boost for Jose Mourinho & co., considering that Rodrygo is a valuable player for the team.
Even though he had endured a tough spell prior to his form, the Brazilian’s versatility, work rate off the ball, and eye for a goal make him an asset.
Rodrygo eager to be back at his best
The update from Romano further states that Rodrygo feels very grateful to Real Madrid for all the help and support they have given him during this difficult phase of his career.
As such, the Brazilian international has made it a mission to return to action in the best shape possible and make an impact from the get-go.
The attacker has only recently begun working on the pitch with the ball indicating the significant progress he has made on the road to recovery.
And, if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could recover one of their ace attackers before the end of the current year.
So far in his career, Rodrygo has made 297 appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 71 goals. He has a contract with the club until 2028.
