Man Utd given belief they can sign Real Madrid superstar as Man City arrival ‘opens door’ for INEOS | OneFootball

Manchester United are reported to have lined up a move for Real Madrid superstar Aurelien Tchouameni as a possible replacement for Casemiro this summer – and a transfer merry-go-round involving a £100m Premier League star and a departing Manchester City man has given INEOS real hope that a raid on the Bernabeu is there to be done.

It is no secret that the Red Devils are in the market for a new central midfielder this summer. Casemiro will depart at the season’s end, bringing a close to four rollercoaster seasons with Manchester United.

And while he will need replacing in the engine room – that has now become a difficult task in the wake of the Brazilian’s excellent form this season – United could find themselves in the market for two midfield additions, amid ongoing doubts over the future of Manuel Ugarte.

With big money reserved for securing Casemiro’s heir, TEAMtalk has long reported how the dream target at Old Trafford is very much seen as Nottingham Forest’s England international, Elliot Anderson.

However, competition is strong for the £100m-rated Forest man, and while United are likely to be able to tick the Champions League box, seen as essential for a deal, we have reported how a move to Manchester City looks a likely scenario for the seven-cap England star this summer.

Nonetheless, after we revealed earlier this month that United are ready to step up their pursuit for Anderson and do still retain hopes of pulling off a club-record deal, it’s now being reported that INEOS have lined up Real Madrid star Tchouameni as a high-profile Plan B.

The 26-year-old is soon due to complete his fourth season at the Bernabeu, having won the very top honours during his time at the club.

But after a season of disappointment at the Bernabeu, which has seen the club crash out of the Champions League quarter-finals, and with the likely surrender of their LaLiga title to Barcelona, big changes are planned this summer.

And with TEAMtalk reporting that Los Blancos are confident of prising Rodri back to Spain from Manchester City this summer, Tchouameni’s future at the Bernabeu has suddenly been called into question.

Now, with a transfer merry-go-round about to go into full swing, The Telegraph claims the door is now ‘open’ for United to launch a surprise swoop…

Man Utd granted Tchouameni transfer chance as Anderson Plan B

Per their reporter, James Ducker, Tchouameni is now firmly on United’s shortlist of candidates to replace Casemiro this summer, and it’s claimed they are “keeping a close eye” on his situation.

Per the report, the 44-times capped France midfielder could be forced out by Rodri’s arrival this summer. And if City are forced to part ways with the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, then the Cityzens, as expected, are ready to go all out to sign Anderson as his replacement.

And should United miss out on the England international, it’s claimed Tchouameni will be seen as a very viable Plan B option over a move to Old Trafford.

‘Rodri is out of contract at the end of next season, and City have offered him a new deal, but if Real opt to formalise their interest in the 29-year-old, it could open the door for United to move for Tchouameni,’ Ducker explains.

Rated in the €90m bracket (£78m, $106m) bracket, Tchouameni, who has won eight major honours with Real Madrid, could potentially move to Old Trafford for a fee slightly lower than the fee needed to poach Anderson away from the City Ground.

But the report backs up our claims that United ‘rate Anderson highly’, with INEOS once again ready to target ‘Premier League ready players’ – a strategy that served them well last summer with the acquisitions of both Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

As a result, it’s only likely that a move for Tchouameni will be launched if they do miss out on Anderson, who is the club’s undisputed first choice.

Man Utd also keen on Leeds star Tanaka

What is clear is that United do not have the funds to sign both Anderson and Tchouameni, and it is very much a case of one or the other.

In addition to that pair, United also have Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Newcastle’s Sandro Tonali on their list of Plan B options behind Anderson.

But should Ugarte depart – ineffective during his time at Old Trafford and given the green light to leave, according to our sources – the Red Devils will be in the market for a second, lesser-costing midfielder this summer.

And with that in mind, we exclusively broke the news last week that United are among three Premier League sides alerted by a potential move for Leeds star Ao Tanaka this summer, though the Whites themselves are refusing to rule out offering the player a new deal as his career reaches a major crossroads.

Any deal for the Japan star could cost from just upwards of £20m, and with sources revealing how impressed Michael Carrick was by the player during Leeds’ recent win at Old Trafford.

On the subject of Ugarte, Man Utd have been told to ‘never pick’ the £50m man again, with Roy Keane also destroying the Uruguayan for his ‘non-existent display’ against Leeds.