Aurelien Tchouameni has completed a €100 million deal from Monaco to Real Madrid, making him one of the most expensive footballers in history.
Real Madrid had to beat out most of the world’s top teams to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Monaco, and it’s easy to see why.
Although ‘only’ €80m of the deal will be paid upfront, with the remaining €20m potentially coming in bonuses, this is a massive fee for a player who is only 22 and has never played outside of Ligue 1 and has only recently made his full French national team debut.
Will Aurelien Tchouameni start right away for Real Madrid
Tchouameni, as an anchoring midfielder, is capable of doing it all. He can play exceptional defence, read the game, keep the ball for his team, carry the ball, draw fouls, and score goals. Tchouameni is only 22 years old, yet he is already an excellent all-around midfielder and a vital leader for Monaco. When you scratch the surface of how underappreciated 6’s are, you’ll notice that Tchouameni is more exceptional than the overhyped forwards everyone talks about. And you realize why Real desired him so much.
Tchouamen will be the starting defensive midfielder in the long run. That is self-evident.
Tchouameni will earn a lot of starts in the rotation alongside Casemiro. Tchouameni even allows Real Madrid to play with a double pivot and a 10. He might be an anchor with Toni Kroos or Luka Modric, and then we could see someone like Eden Hazard or perhaps a loanee/signing/Marco Asensio as a 10 (depending on the market). Because we all know Carlo Ancelotti is a sucker for tens.
Is Aurelien Tchouameni the real deal?
He’s young, French, plays in Ligue 1, and is a dynamic midfielder who has piqued the curiosity of some of Europe’s top clubs.
He’s a top-tier defender with exceptional talents in one-on-ones off-the-ball and is nearly unstoppable in the air. His attacking production is impressive for a DM, and he maintains above-average ball retention.
The ideal position for Aurelien Tchouameni
Tchouameni played defensive midfield with Youssouf Fofana for most of his career at Monaco. Then, the two would switch roles, screening the defence and pushing forward.
His aggressive pressuring is incredible, as is his ability to cut into passing ranges. In addition, Tchouameni collects wayward passes and makes numerous tackles throughout games since he is constantly all over the field.
On the other hand, Monaco would sometimes use a 4-1-4-1 formation with Tchouameni as the lone defensive midfielder. As a result, the Frenchman would have to suppress his propensity to buzz over the field to be more of an anchor man, looking at ease doing so.
Tchouameni has played a more advanced role, akin to that of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. There, he’s a box-to-box midfielder with a strong eye for a progressive ball and a fondness for a long shot that isn’t always justified by the quality of his efforts.
However, his defensive abilities are unquestionably his finest attribute, implying that he is better suited to a more profound role – the Casemiro spot if you will.
I think Real Madrid fans should celebrate because Tchouameni is the 6 of the future and the Casemiro replacement that this squad has been screaming for. Real Madrid’s young midfielders can also boost KCM’s career as if you needed another reason to be glad.