Why Real Madrid could very well miss out on their top young midfield target to Chelsea

Although Real Madrid signed one of the best midfield prospects in the world – if not THE best – this past summer in Eduardo Camavinga and have Antonio Blanco coming up the ranks, Los Blancos will still go after midfielders in the 2022 summer transfer window.

Nicolo Barella, favored by many Madridistas, is now off the table after signing an extension with Champions League opponents Inter Milan. Paul Pogba appears to be the main option, and he would be a splashy signing to boost the attack. There is no doubt that he is the kind of big, marketable name Florentino Perez favors.

But when it comes to options for the future, Aurelien Tchouameni looks like the No. 1 target. He is a dynamic, two-way midfielder who can defend, carry the ball, and create. The Monaco star was one of the top players in Ligue 1 last season, so signing him won’t be easy. Monaco know his value, and there will be plenty of competition for him.

To that end, MARCA’s Jose Felix Diaz reports that in the early going, it is Chelsea, not Real Madrid, who sit as the favorites to sign Aurelien Tchouameni.

Real Madrid cannot compete with Chelsea in a bidding war

The defending Champions League winners have an elite midfield in their own right, but they could use another dynamic young player. They are really keying in on the best of the best among the rising midfielders, and they have the money to outcompete Real Madrid in a bidding war.

MARCA and other outlets have consistently reported Real have a great deal of interest in Tchouameni, which makes sense. The 21-year-old is indeed the future. He is already a great player and has the opportunity to become special.

But Real are going after two very important attackers in Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. They still need a right back. And a backup center back would not hurt either. So if Chelsea and other Premier League clubs push Tchouameni’s price higher this summer, Real may have to miss out. Again, Chelsea are funded by Roman Abramovich, so they have financial might that Los Blancos simply cannot compete with.

Finally, Fede Valverde, Camavinga, and Blanco are three great young midfielders who can become long-term starters at the club. Tchouameni may see this trio and wonder if his chances of breaking into the Chelsea first team would be easier, because that’s not even getting into the continued excellence of Real’s old guard and the great deal of interest in Pogba. And thus, it makes sense for the Blues to be in the driver’s seat over the Merengue club.