Liverpool and Manchester United have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, according to reports from TEAMtalk.
The 26-year-old France international has been a key figure at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu since joining from AS Monaco, winning a La Liga title and a Champions League trophy during his time in Spain.
Last season, Tchouameni made four goal contributions and kept 11 clean sheets in 49 appearances across all competitions despite Real Madrid enduring an inconsistent campaign.
Los Blancos have now decided to revamp their midfield department under new manager Jose Mourinho after failing to win a trophy over the last two seasons.
Real Madrid have already brought in Bernardo Silva and are prioritising a deal to sign Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, with interest also reported in Mateus Fernandes and Rodrigo Hernandez.
As a result of this midfield overhaul, Real Madrid would be open to selling Tchouameni for a fee in the region of £87m, with his contract at the club running until 2028.
Liverpool hold a long-standing interest in the French midfielder, having previously attempted to sign him back in 2022 before he opted to join Real Madrid instead.
Both Liverpool and Manchester United have been holding talks with the player’s representatives throughout the summer window, putting them in prime position to complete a deal.
Arsenal and Chelsea are also keeping a close eye on Tchouameni’s situation, but Liverpool and Manchester United are currently reported to be “best positioned” to finalise the transfer.
Manchester United’s interest has been driven in part by the departure of Casemiro, with the club keen to bring in a new defensive midfielder to fill the void left by the Brazilian.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are planning a significant squad overhaul under manager Andoni Iraola following a disappointing campaign last term, with Tchouameni seen as a priority addition.
The 6ft 2in midfielder is primarily a defensive midfielder but is also comfortable operating at centre-back and can perform effectively in a box-to-box role.
Securing Tchouameni’s signature would represent a major statement of intent from whichever Premier League club manages to win the race ahead of the new season.