Man Utd scouts wowed by the new Rodri but INEOS face Real Madrid roadblock – EXCLUSIVE | OneFootball

Manchester United scouts have been impressed with Chema Andres, sources have told TEAMtalk, but the Red Devils’ co-owners, INEOS, will face a tough task in bringing the VfB Stuttgart midfielder to Old Trafford because of Real Madrid’s interest.

Andres is enjoying an outstanding debut campaign in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart, and the defensive midfielder’s form has caught the eye of several Premier League clubs, including Man Utd.

We can reveal that scouts from Arsenal, Manchester City, Man Utd and Newcastle have all watched him and reported back very positively about the 20-year-old holding midfielder.

Andres, very much in the Sergio Busquets and Rodri mould, is seen as a player of huge potential.

The Spain Under-21 international shines not only in person but also via analytical analysis, too, with his ability to control the tempo, break up play, and distribute efficiently, making him a standout in the Bundesliga this season.

Man Utd are aiming to reinforce their midfield department in the summer transfer window, and Andres has caught the eyes of the scouts.

However, there is a major sticking point. While Andres was allowed to join Stuttgart in the summer of 2025 from Real Madrid for just £2million (€2.3m, $2.7m), the Spanish and European giants ensured that his future would still be decided by them.

Madrid have become well-versed in their method of selling young talents cheaply but maintaining a proactive veil around them – typically through a huge sell-on fee and, more importantly, a relatively low buy-back clause.

In Chema’s case, the buy-back clause is just £10m (€11.4m, $13.5m) this summer, and TEAMtalk has been told that Madrid are contemplating bringing him back, as they have already decided to do with Como sensation Nico Paz.

Indeed, Paz’s Como team-mate and central defender Jacobo Ramo, is also in line to return to Estadio Bernabeu at the end of the season.

With Chema, sources suggest that Madrid could allow him to move elsewhere, but – as Tottenham Hotspur found out with Paz last summer – a deal would also require Real to retain a very moderate buy-back, essentially making it a glorified loan.

This complex web of clauses and options means Premier League clubs will need to navigate Madrid’s terms carefully if they hope to land one of Europe’s most promising midfielders.

Andres is not the only midfielder that Man Utd could miss out on, with sources telling our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that Manchester City are leading the Red Devils in the race for a Nottingham Forest gem.