What Manchester United’s failure to sign Tchouameni means for ₦13bn-rated Super Eagles star

Former Premier League champions Manchester United are targeting Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, Afrik-Foot reports.

​The Red Devils desperately need to bolster their midfield this summer to compete with their peers in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

​They have already lost Casemiro, who has called time on his stint in Europe. Manuel Ugarte is also expected to leave, although his recent long-term injury has made that unlikely. This has left them significantly short-staffed in the middle of the park.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee, Manuel Ugarte, and Casemiro. Copyright: xIMAGO/EveryxSecondxMediax

​Two of the top midfielders on Manchester United’s radar are Carlos Baleba and Real Madrid’s Tchouameni. But getting a deal done has been a major problem.

​The Red Devils have been in negotiations with the French star over a transfer in recent weeks, but they have not made much progress. According to Madrid Zone, the major problem is his salary.

​Tchouameni currently earns €240k gross weekly, and Manchester United are unwilling to offer him this, as it would make him the second-highest earner at the club, behind only Bruno Fernandes. As a result, the former Premier League champions are now looking at other options.

​Is Wilfred Ndidi The Perfect Man For Manchester United?

​With the Red Devils struggling to land 26-year-old Tchouameni, they might have to look elsewhere soon.

Wilfred Ndidi of Besiktas JK. Copyright: ImagoxBSRxAgencyx

​Super Eagles midfielder Wilfred Ndidi might just be their man. They have been consistently linked with the 29-year-old Nigerian for the last one year, but they have not made a solid move yet.

​Ndidi has a lot of experience playing in England, having stayed at Leicester City for just over eight years, and he could be quite useful on the domestic scene.

​Signing him would also be a significantly cheaper deal. Ndidi is valued at €8 million (₦13 billion), and he currently earns €60k gross weekly, so the deal could be wrapped up within a very short period.

​Just like Tchouameni, the Super Eagles skipper offers solidity, great work rate, and reliability. He still has two years of top football in him.

Wilfred Ndidi for Besiktas. Copyright: ImagoxBSRxAgencyx

​The Gent man would likely be open to the prospect of donning the Manchester United jersey, so it should not be difficult to negotiate a transfer.

​If the Tchouameni deal continues to stall, Ndidi might just be the man the Red Devils call upon.

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Kelvin Omachonu

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Kelvin Omachonu is a sports writer covering Nigeria, with 6 years in sports media and a Reuters Digital Journalism certification. A bettor for 7 years, he specialises in football and basketball odds and responsible gambling, and has used operators including Bet9ja, SportyBet, Betano and 1xBet.