Real Madrid's pursuit of Mateus Fernandes opens door for United to sign Tchouameni

Real Madrid’s reported pursuit of Mateus Fernandes could inadvertently hand Manchester United a route to signing Aurélien Tchouameni, with both midfielders heavily linked with moves to Old Trafford this summer.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Fernandes is José Mourinho’s preferred midfield target at Real Madrid, and his potential arrival would force a departure from the Bernabéu. Tchouameni is currently considered the likeliest player to leave, ahead of Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos, with any fee generated from his sale expected to fund a replacement.

United have already agreed a deal with Atalanta for Brazilian midfielder Ederson, and manager Michael Carrick is now seeking a second midfield recruit. Elliot Anderson has been identified as the primary target, though Manchester City are understood to be the frontrunner for his signature.

Fernandes, who impressed during an strong season at West Ham, missed out on Portugal’s World Cup squad. His future at the London Stadium is uncertain following the club’s relegation to the Championship, which is expected to trigger the departure of at least one key player — with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville also attracting United’s interest alongside Fernandes.

Everton’s Iliman Ndiaye has emerged as another attacking target for United, while strengthening at left-back also remains a priority. Lewis Hall, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Nathaniel Brown — who impressed for Germany at the World Cup — have all been mentioned as candidates.

On the outgoings front, Rasmus Hojlund has already completed a permanent move to Napoli, and Manuel Ugarte is expected to follow Casemiro out of the club. Marcus Rashford’s future remains unresolved, with a move to Barcelona looking increasingly unlikely after the Spanish club signed Anthony Gordon. Rashford came off the bench to score in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia, and his situation is expected to be clarified after the World Cup concludes.

Real Madrid have been active in the transfer market, already securing Marc Cucurella from Chelsea and bringing in Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva on free transfers. Enzo Fernandez is also reportedly on their radar.