Real Madrid Transfers: The 3 safest signings to make in summer 2022

Monaco DM Aurelien Tchouameni

We stay in Ligue 1 where another great young player comes up. Aurelien Tchouameni has not been a standout in French football for nearly as long as Kylian Mbappe, but Monaco’s latest rising star is now on two seasons of being one of the best players in the league.

Tchouameni is everything Real Madrid are looking for in the defensive midfield. Madridistas have been wondering if Real could ever find an adequate replacement for Casemiro, both in the present when rotating and in the future to eventually take over for the world-class Brazilian.

Clearly, Tchouameni looks like that guy, and he can even bring attributes to the table offensively as a passer and ball-carrier that Casemiro cannot. Therefore, he could be a more complete – and perhaps an even better – player than the current No. 6 in Madrid.

So far this season, the 22-year-old is averaging 1.6 fouls drawn per game and 1.3 dribbles completed per game in Ligue 1 offensively. Not bad, right? But take a look at his defensive numbers. They are downright elite. He has 2.8 tackles and 2.7 interceptions per game in league play to go with two tackles per game and 2.8 interceptions per game in the Europa League.

Those are jaw-dropping numbers. Tchouameni can bring the same ball-winning attributes as Casemiro while adding more offensively. At his age, Tchouameni could have a decade of success at this position ahead of him, and he will enter his peak right at the time when Casemiro will be exiting his.

Tchouameni won’t be cheap, and the competition is stiff. But he looks like a sure thing as a 6, and that is rare. How many young players can you say are more complete or playing at a higher level at this position? And how will Real address this need if they do not sign Tchouameni?