'The intention is' - Fabrizio Romano issues verdict on Arsenal's 'interest' in Real Madrid transfer
Arsenal have been linked with a surprise move for a pricey Real Madrid star.
Arsenal have been linked with a surprise move for Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni ahead of next summer despite the fact Mikel Merino was snapped up on a £25million deal this summer.
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Merino was quickly identified as the right man for Mikel Arteta to upgrade on Thomas Partey, hoping to add a ball-playing midfielder to play alongside Declan Rice. Arsenal are likely to prioritise a deal for a striker in the next couple of transfer windows, with a summer move more likely due to financial rules.
A permanent deal for a winger may also be on Arteta’s wishlist, and that could involve Raheem Sterling if he impresses during his loan move. Despite all that, there has been chatter of the Gunners making a move for Tchouameni, who is likely to command a huge fee given he has impressed for Real Madrid, able to play in a number of positions.
“We saw these rumours in England and we keep receiving many questions on Tchouameni because the summer transfer window just closed. Many people raised rumours about Liverpool, Arsenal, Tchouameni in 2025,” Fabrizio Romano said on the Here We Go podcast.
“I wanted to clarify something for 2024, 2025, 2026, whenever. The intention of Aurelien Tchouameni is to stay in Real Madrid. The intention of Real Madrid is to keep Aurelien Tchouameni as a crucial player for that project. For present and future. They are in love with Tchouameni; with the player, with the professional.
“How he acted in the centre-back position was something really appreciated by the technical staff at Real Madrid. So it’s absolutely not even considered for Real Madrid to sell Aurelien Tchouameni. The situation is perfect between the club and player. I can guarantee at the moment, despite all the rumours, we know how many clubs can appreciate a top player like Tchouameni… but in terms of concrete possibilities for him to leave Madrid – at the moment, zero.”
Tchouameni is under contract at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2028.