Tchouaméni rules out another season at Monaco

Aurélien Tchouaméni’s medium-term future is close to being resolved. In spite of recent speculation that he could stay on for another season at Monaco, sources close to the players have told AS that he has made the decision to move elsewhere this summer. The player stoked the rumour mill himself with his post-match comments following his performance against Lille, in which he bagged a brace.

“I think I’m under contract until 2024, with the option to carry on until 2025. We’ll see what the future holds for me. A lot of things could happen during the transfer window. The most important thing is the Lille game, not what might happen afterwards. When we all break up for the summer holidays, we’ll see who is still around when it’s time to report back,” the 22-year-old told the media. However, his agent Jonathan Kébé, who also handles Jules Koundé, continues to sound out the market to get the best possible deal for the player. There is no shortage of offers.

Real Madrid have done their part of the bargain in trying to lure Tchouaméni by securing an preferential option on him. The player is keen to join Madrid, but with his cards on the table, Monaco now have the upper hand and have set an asking price of 70-80 million euros. That is a figure which Madrid would never pay as they feel spending that kind of money would be better spent on a striker than a midfielder who is promising but still unproven.

Madrid hope that the player will make an effort to persuade Monaco to drop their price to around 50 million. If that happens, and depending on how they fare offloading Ceballos, Jovic and Mariano this summer, Madrid might be in a better position to forge ahead with the Tchouaméni operation.

Liverpool and Chelsea in the mix

Madrid face competition from some of Europe’s elite clubs to sign Tchouaméni who, based on performance analysis data gathered by Olocip’s Artificial Intelligence TCT-Scout platform, is the midfielder to have had the most impact in Ligue 1 with a ratio of 9.64 - way ahead of the second-placed player, PSG’s Danilo on 5.57. He is also rated for his defensive qualities (he plays in the same position as Casemiro) and creative play - he is the fourth player in the French league who generates attacking moves. The two clubs who are pushing hardest to sign him are Chelsea and Liverpool. PSG have also been in touch with his representative, but Tchouaméni would rather leave France to begin a new adventure in LaLiga or the Premier League.

Based on his recent display against Lille, Monaco aren’t prepared to sell themselves short. The club signed him from Girondins Bordeaux for 18 million euros in the summer of 2020. Now his market value has doubled, according to Transfermarkt, to 40 million.