In recent times, we have seen Chelsea being linked with a number of Real Madrid players. Vinicius Junior is the most high-profile name amid the uncertainty around his future at Santiago Bernabeu. Rodrygo is another. Other than that, names like Endrick, Eduardo Camavinga, Antonio Rudiger and Andriy Lunin have also been suggested.
Recent reports coming out of Spain claimed that Aurelien Tchouameni was a Chelsea target. Apparently, the Blues were eyeing him for the summer of 2026.
Chelsea had actually tracked Tchouameni back when he was at AS Monaco. But they did not make a move in time. The transfer valuation was believed to have been a stumbling block back then. Eventually, Real Madrid swooped in and got a deal done with the Ligue 1 side.
Since then, Tchouameni has had an up-and-down time at Real Madrid. He has played multiple roles and always been involved though, racking up 181 appearances for Los Blancos. So, if Chelsea were to sign him, it would be considered a major coup.
Fabrizio Romano drops update on Aurelien Tchouameni to Chelsea transfer rumour
If Chelsea did make a move for Tchouameni it would mark a change in their transfer policy. The Frenchman is entering his prime at 26 years of age. He is proven at a club like Real Madrid and at the international level with France.
These are the type of signings the Chelsea fans have been calling for. But unfortunately, it looks like those rumours are wide of the mark. According to TEAMtalk, Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel: “No, at the moment, I am not aware of anything strong or concrete about these links.
“Many links between Tchouameni and Chelsea in recent days, but, at the moment, again, I must answer the question as I did with Barcelona, with Man Utd.
“Do I expect Chelsea to try to do something in midfield?
“I think it’s a possibility because Chelsea already looked at midfielders in the January transfer window, but Tchouameni, first of all, is a crucial player for Real Madrid.
“Second, he is on a very big salary. He’s considered a crucial player at Madrid, so I don’t think it is an easy deal at all.
“And, also at the moment, with Chelsea, there is nothing really strong or concrete in terms of talks or negotiations.
“So, at the moment, everything quiet around Tchouameni.”
Rumours regarding Real Madrid’s Tchouameni seem wide of the mark
It should not really be a surprise that Chelsea are not going after Tchouameni. The club have almost always tried to sign youngsters under the BlueCo model.
That transfer approach has failed to bring about success. Despite that, there has been no indication that BlueCo are looking to change their model. Instead, they have constantly chopped and changed players and managers. But the net result has pretty much always been similar.
In fact, Enzo Maresca was the only one to bring silverware under the BlueCo model. But then, he was sacked months after his Club World Cup triumph. The results had been an issue. Yet, it feels like behind-the-scenes problems might have played a bigger role in the sacking.
Sooner or later, Chelsea might need to think about signing players like Tchouameni if they want to be successful again. Otherwise, mediocrity might become the new norm for the Blues. One could argue it already has.
