As Liverpool plot to build a new-look midfield this summer, one journalist has claimed a new enquiry into last year’s target Aurelien Tchouameni.
Tchouameni was a priority target for the Reds a year ago, with the French midfielder poised to depart AS Monaco after a stellar campaign.
Talks over a big-money deal began prior to the season’s end, and reports in France claimed he had agreed personal terms with Liverpool and Real Madrid.
Ultimately, the lure of Madrid proved too attractive for Tchouameni, who joined Real for £85 million in June and told Le Parisien in November that “everything was clear” as soon as their offer arrived.
“The first to come forward was Liverpool, we had discussions. Then Real arrived,” he said.
But with Tchouameni not yet a first-choice starter and Real now set to sign Jude Bellingham, speculation has mounted over a possible switch to Merseyside.
The Mirror‘s John Richardson – in a report in which he claims Alexis Mac Allister is set to join Liverpool for £70 million – has even declared that the Reds made a recent enquiry into Tchouameni.
However, it is maintained that Real “don’t want to sell” their No. 18, who has made 44 appearances this season but has averaged less than an hour on the pitch per game.
This follows previous claims from the Mirror‘s David Maddock that Liverpool could “resurrect” their interest in the 23-year-old.
Dubious sources have even suggested a loan offer, though that is highly unlikely given it would undermine the stability of a long-term rebuild.
Nevertheless, it is almost certain that interest in Tchouameni remains, with the club eager to have brought in both him and Bellingham as the next generation in the middle of the park.
Whether they are able to revisit their pursuit of the France international in the future is unclear, but for now it seems more feasible that others are brought in.
Along with Mac Allister, Liverpool are targeting deals for Chelsea‘s Mason Mount and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, while a host of other midfielders have been linked.
Earlier this week, though, GOAL‘s Neil Jones insisted that claims from Portugal and Uruguay that Sporting CP’s Manuel Ugarte was a target were unfounded.
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