Mourinho won't let Tchouameni go, but Man United don't care – they want the Frenchman

Manchester United remain determined to land Aurelien Tchouameni despite Real Madrid's reluctance to part ways with the French midfielder.

According to The Sun, the 26-year-old is still one of United's priority targets as they look to replace Casemiro, who recently completed a move to Inter Miami. Tchouameni would once again be stepping into the Brazilian's shoes, having originally taken over his role at Real Madrid following Casemiro's transfer to Old Trafford in 2022.

However, prising Tchouameni away from the Spanish giants will be anything but easy. New Real Madrid manager JosevMourinho reportedly views the France international as a key figure in his plans and has no interest in approving a sale.

Tchouameni enjoyed another strong campaign last season, featuring in 49 matches across all competitions, while also playing an important role for France at the World Cup, where he completed four full matches.

The financial side of the deal also presents a major obstacle. Valued at around €70 million by Transfermarkt, Tchouameni would require another significant investment from United, who have already strengthened their midfield this summer with the arrivals of Andrey Santos from Chelsea for €56 million and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa for €41 million.

Adding another layer of difficulty, reports from The Athletic's David Ornstein claim Tchouameni recently agreed a new contract with Real Madrid that would keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2031, extending his previous deal by three years. While the renewal has yet to be officially announced, it further underlines Madrid's intention to build around the French midfielder rather than cash in on him.