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Juventus have raced ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United in their bid to sign Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, according to Tuttosport. Chelsea and Manchester United were both heavily linked with the France international this summer. However, neither club could end up signing the player, with Juventus now believed to be hot on his heels.
Tchouameni has played eight games in all competitions for Monaco this season. He also made his senior France debut during the international break this month. The youngster featured against Bosnia, Ukraine and Finland in the World Cup Qualifiers.
The 21-year-old has gained many admirers due to his robust performances in the middle of the park. Tchouameni still has three more years left on his Monaco contract.
Why Manchester United should sign Tchouameni
Manchester United signed three star players in Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane over the summer transfer window. It has helped the club address areas of concern. However, one position they failed to strengthen was that of central defensive midfield.
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Their current crop of defensive midfielders at Manchester United includes Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic. While Matic and McTominay are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of age, Fred is simply deemed not good enough to play as a regular starter for Manchester United.
Why Chelsea can let go of Tchouameni
Chelsea have Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Saul Niguez (on loan from Atletico Madrid) at the club now. They also have two bright prospects in Conor Gallagher and Billy Gilmour out on loan.
The Blues seem pretty well covered in the middle of the park and do not need to spend on midfield reinforcements. Chelsea should instead focus on strengthening their defence.
Should Juventus sign Tchouameni?
Juventus are currently in a state of transition. The board's decision to walk away from their title-winning formula under the likes of Massimiliano Allegri has not worked out well for them.
Former Juventus managers like Andrea Pirlo and Maurizio Sarri (even though he won the league) have not been able to create a foundation at the club. Moreover, they also lost their talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, to Manchester United this summer.
The club are now looking to restructure their team and bring in young players. And roping in someone like Tchouameni will definitely help their cause. Juventus are suffering from the lack of a solid defensive midfielder and Tchouameni would be a good option to have.
The midfielder has already racked up 90 appearances in Ligue 1. He has 10 goals and 10 assists to his name despite being a defensive midfielder.
There are other clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea who still might want to take a run at the player again next summer. Juventus will need to act fast if they want to get their man. Moreover, if Tchouameni continues to perform like this, there will be no shortage of suitors for him in the near future.
