Why Man Utd want to sign £50m Tchouameni clone after Ederson collapse

The INEOS regime have credit in the bank following an improved year of business in 2025 at Manchester United, yet with pre-season now upon us, there are doubts creeping in over the recruitment drive this time around.

A marquee midfield signing appears essential at Old Trafford, although one by one, the options are beginning to be trimmed, with Elliot Anderson off to Manchester City, Mateus Fernandes joining Tottenham Hotspur and Aurelien Tchouameni staying put at Real Madrid.

That latter case feels all too familiar for United, so often used as a means for high-profile players to secure a contract extension, evoking memories of a certain Sergio Ramos back in 2015.

There are more low-key moves being made in Manchester, of course, but haven’t we seen this one before?

Why this summer is starting to feel like 2023 for Man Utd

The Red Devils headed into the summer of 2023 on stable footing after a Carabao Cup win and third-place finish under Erik ten Hag, the Dutchman enjoying a respectable first season in charge.

Yes, an FA Cup final defeat and Europa League exit had seen the campaign ebb to a quieter conclusion, while the 7-0 loss at Anfield proved a real black mark against him, but the club did look ready to kick on again ahead of Ten Hag’s second season.

There was talk of moves for Harry Kane, Declan Rice and the like, but the end result was far more underwhelming, with Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount entering the building.

The latter man has since endured three injury-hit seasons in Manchester, while both Onana and Hojlund spent last term out on loan, the Dane since sealing a permanent switch to Napoli.

Fast forward to the present day, and with United again securing Champions League qualification under Michael Carrick, after finishing third, the similarities are clear to see.

A new goalkeeper is set to be welcomed in, in the form of Karl Darlow, while Andrey Santos is set to join on another £50m-plus deal from Mount’s former club Chelsea.

Ederson’s expected arrival from Atalanta, the former home of Hojlund, would have even greater enhanced that sense of Deja vu, albeit with that deal appearing to have hit the skids.

As for Santos and Darlow, they shouldn’t be written off before they’ve even entered the building, but there still appears a desperate need for more high-profile signings this summer.

How Man Utd can recover from Tchouameni snub

There was a feeling that Tchouameni was keen to join United, if told he was surplus to requirements back in Madrid, although the expectation is that he will pen a new deal until 2031 at the Bernabeu instead.

The 26-year-old had been the ‘dream’ target by all accounts, a player whom the Old Trafford side have kept tabs on for years, stretching back to his time at Monaco.

Alas, that ship has now sailed, although another French World Cup star could be on the agenda, following the suggestion that Tchouameni’s international teammate, Manu Kone, is also under consideration.

As per journalist Ben Jacobs – speaking on the United Stand podcast on Thursday – United have made “enquiries” regarding a potential deal for Kone, should the expected move for Ederson fall flat – as is now the case.

Currently on the books at AS Roma, the expectation is that the 25-year-old could command a fee of around £50m, if he is to leave the Stadio Olimpico this summer.

While not quite the high-profile figure of Tchouameni, Kone has come to wider attention after replacing the injured Madrid man in France’s midfield in recent World Cup games, proving so influential alongside Adrien Rabiot.

Hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past as a “monstrous box-to-box midfielder“, Kone has been masterful under Didier Deschamps’ watch, such a composed, controlled figure in that number six role.

In his four starts so far this summer, Kone has boasted a stellar 93% pass accuracy rate, losing the ball just 7.3 times per game on average, while also averaging 1.3 successful long balls per game.

For context, that isn’t too dissimilar to Tchouameni’s own record from his three starts at the tournament, enjoying a 91% pass accuracy, losing the ball just seven times per game, while also averaging 1.3 successful long balls per outing.

Tchouameni might be the more dominant force defensively, having been comfortably clear in terms of tackles and interceptions (6.0 vs 2.6), but the pair have enjoyed a similar record in terms of ball recoveries, averaging 6.3 and 5.3, respectively.

It speaks to the depth at Deschamps’ disposal that Tchouameni’s absence has hardly been felt at all, Les Bleus still looking so secure even with Kone coming in as his replacement, having now not conceded in each of the last two games.

Not that the Roma man necessarily deserves to be a mere understudy, with ex-Arsenal great, Patrick Vieira, lauding the former Borussia Monchengladbach star as the “best midfielder in France” right now.

At 6 foot 1, Kone is another towering midfielder, in the mould of Tchouameni, someone who can act as a real pillar in Carrick’s midfield next season.

Moving for a player based on recent tournament exploits isn’t normally wise, yet Kone has sparkled back in Italy of late, ending the 2025/26 season with a 90% pass rate in Serie A, just below Tchouameni’s 92% average in LaLiga.

For a potential fee of around £50m, landing the younger Frenchman might well represent a real coup for the Red Devils, and a perfect alternative to Ederson.