Updated: 26 May 2026 09:43 BST |
6 min read
Manchester United are ramping up their plans to strengthen in midfield as they prepare to make an ambitious €80million (£69m) offer to sign Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni, according to reports in Spain.
Widespread reports have indicated the Red Devils are targeting a midfield revamp this summer, with BBC Sport claiming the club are running the rule over several players including France international Tchouameni.
The Athletic understands United are also monitoring Brighton and Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Atalanta’s Ederson.
However, according to Spanish publication Fichajes, United are reportedly preparing to test Real’s resolve by tabling a bid to sign Tchouameni, who is widely regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in the world.
The news comes after The Telegraph reported United’s primary target Elliot Anderson has had a €133m (£115m) price tag placed on his shoulders, with Nottingham Forest looking to recoup a similar fee to the one Brighton received when selling Moises Caicedo to Chelsea in August 2023.
When asked about whether he believes England international Anderson will remain a Forest player beyond the summer, manager Vitor Pereira told Sky Sports on Sunday: “I don’t have the answer. If you ask me if he deserves the best clubs in the world, he deserves.
“He has a lot of quality. He is a talent. But he is our player and I am very happy with him. The market is the market, I cannot predict the market. I know we want to keep the same players, to bring two or three players to help us balance the squad. In the end, we’ll see.”
Anderson has established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League this season, scoring four goals and recording as many assists to help Pereira’s Forest finish 16th in the table.
Meanwhile, Tchouameni has endured a difficult few weeks at Real after he was involved in an altercation with team-mate Federico Valverde, with the pair each receiving €500,000 (£435,000) fines from the Spanish giants.
Valverde subsequently went to hospital with a head injury following the row with Tchouameni, though the Uruguay international denied they “came to blows” and said he accidentally hit a table.
Carrick says United are preparing for “most important” transfer window
While it remains to be seen whether United make a formal bid for Tchouameni, manager Michael Carrick believes this summer’s transfer window is “the most important” in the club’s recent history.
Speaking to United’s official club website, Carrick – who will oversee the transfer window after he was named permanent head coach following a fantastic spell as interim manager – said: “I think the beauty of the next transfer window for everybody, it’s always the biggest thing in the world, and the most important transfer window of all time for every club I think.
“That’s just the nature of how it’s been created, to be honest. And I think, again, as a football club, you want to keep moving forward. We certainly do as a football club, want to keep moving forward. So, I think it’s acknowledged we’re at this stage and the dynamics and the balance of the direction we’re at, where we’ve ended up getting to and finishing in the league.
“And there’s obviously work to do. I know it’s quite obvious, there’s certain players leaving, that there’s a bit of work to do. It’s not any more important, this one, than the last one, or it’s what’s ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of.”
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