Why Manchester United need to sign Aurelien Tchouameni

As everyone knows by now, one of Manchester United’s biggest problems on the pitch at the moment is the lack of a discernible defensive midfielder. United have been linked to a host of players who could potentially fill that role with AS Monaco’s Aurélien Tchouaméni being one that arguably excites the most.

Date of Birth: 27/01/2000 (21)

Position: Defensive Midfielder

Strong Foot: Right

Height: 1,87 m (6ft 1in)

Who is he?

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Aurélien Tchouaméni is a 21-year old defensive midfielder currently playing for French club AS Monaco. The Frenchman started his career at Ligue 1 side Bordeaux and made the switch to Monaco in January 2020 for a fee of around €18 million. His time at Monaco so far has been a great success. During the 2020/21 season, he started 36 out of 38 games in Ligue 1 and was a crucial part of Monaco’s side which finished 3rd in Ligue 1 – only 5 points behind league champions Lille. This season, at the time of writing, he’s made 29 appearances in all competitions for Monaco and has continued to impress.

His performances have earned him a place in the French national team. He made his debut for France in September 2021 and has made 7 appearances for Les Bleus, including a start in the Nations League final against Spain where he starred in a 2-1 victory in midfield alongside United’s very own Paul Pogba.

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Due to his splendid performances for Monaco, the youngster has been sounded out by some of Europe’s elite clubs. According to The Athletic, both Manchester United and Liverpool have a keen interest in Tchouaméni and the clubs face a battle for his signature.

Strengths

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Tchouaméni has the ability to play as a defensive midfielder as well as box-to-box midfielder. One of the Frenchman’s most impressive attributes is his tackling ability. Over the last year, he’s averaged 3.92 per 90 minutes played, ranking him amongst the best in his position. As well as being an outstanding tackler, he has also averaged 3.16 interceptions per 90 over the last year. This season in Ligue 1, Tchouameni also has a pass completion rate of 87% and that coupled with his ability to progress the ball forward is hint at the forward thinking talent that has Europe talking. In the last 12 months, he’s averaged around five progressive passes per game and 4.60 progressive carries per game.

At 6”1, Tchouaméni is also outstanding aerially. He’s won 72% of his aerial duels this season in Ligue 1. His height also makes him an asset from set-pieces in both boxes. He’s also a very good dribbler which helps him in tight areas.

His injury record is also very good. Since signing for Monaco about 2 years ago, he’s only missed 2 games through injury.

Weaknesses

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Tchouaméni has very few weaknesses to his game. The only concern about his game is his decision making which is poor at times however, he is only 21 years of age and this is likely to improve as he becomes more experienced.

Where would he fit in?

Tchouaméni could fit in a few positions in this United team. If United do sign him, he’d play in a defensive midfield role which United desperately need. The Frenchman has experience in a double pivot as well as a lone defensive midfielder meaning he could fit into a 4-2-3-1 system playing in the double pivot and also in a 4-3-3 system as a lone defensive midfielder. He could also be used in a box-to-box role if ever required as he has shown his competence in this role.

Verdict

Tchouaméni would be a brilliant addition to this Manchester United team. He’s a highly-skilled midfielder who would be a great long-term signing by the club. He is already very impressive and as he’s still so young, he’ll only continue to improve. It is still unclear if United will sign anyone this month and if United do sign Tchouaméni, it would most likely be in the summer.

It’s always risky to sign players under an interim manager as you don’t know whether the incoming manager will like them. However, Tchouaméni’s ability to fit into different systems and roles in the middle of the park means he’d be a useful player for most managers. If United are keen on him like reports say, there really is no valid reason for United to not make a move for the Frenchman this month.