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Aurelien Tchouameni is on Manchester United’s radar, and could have a huge decision to make this summer.
Manchester United’s hunt for new midfielders this summer has placed Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni top of the list.
Tchouameni would be a younger version of Casemiro, with United believing that the French international is ‘gettable’, according to Andy Mitten.
While the two clubs would have to negotiate a fee, the decision will ultimately come down to Tchouameni: Where does he want to play?
Intriguingly, a conversation took place between Tchouameni and Raphael Varane, about the same topic last year.
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Getty Images Raphael Varane’s explanation
Raphael Varane spoke to Aurelien Tchouameni in March 2025 on The Bridge, a French-speaking podcast.
Tchouameni asked Varane to break down why he chose to leave Real Madrid in 2021. They did not play alongside each other, with the midfielder joining from Monaco a year later.
Varane explained: “I won everything; in fact, we celebrated our fourth Champions League title quickly. It was like a normal thing, the next step is to win the Champions League and think about the next one.
“Then I won the World Cup and I said to myself, I’ve done it all. There came a point in my life where I restricted myself, reviewed some things regarding my career management, and said to myself, I need to keep feeling emotions, I need something different.”
Varane went on to explain that by joining Manchester United, he found a club that he viewed as truly special, thanks to the supporters.
“Madrid is indescribable, it’s exceptional, but I’ve already experienced it. And I said to myself, I want to experience something else. For me, England, and Manchester in particular, is where you feel the passion for football, you feel it, you live it every day.
“Now that some time has passed, I have no regrets because it was an incredible experience.”
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Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images How Varane’s words apply to Tchouameni
Raphael Varane’s words are applicable to Tchouameni, without being a completely perfect fit.
Tchouameni joined Real in 2022 and has played 191 games for the club. He has won the Champions League once, and the La Liga title once.
This season Real will finish without a trophy, so he would not be leaving on a high note.
Whether he would be able to boast that he is a World Cup winner like Varane in 2018, will depend on France’s fate this summer.
Varane played 360 Real Madrid games, won four Champions League titles and three La Liga trophies.
Tchouameni might consider that he has not enjoyed enough success in Madrid, by that comparison.
But it is Varane’s words on Manchester United that will really resonate.
If Tchouameni is going to depart Real Madrid, he would only be willing to do so for another unbelievable football experience.
Varane’s comments are reassuring. He has absolutely no regrets about his Manchester United experience, which yielded two trophies despite a rollercoaster ride.
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