With Erik ten Hag all but destined to arrive at Old Trafford this summer, Manchester United are preparing for somewhat of an overhaul. This is particularly true for the midfield as the Dutch tactician looks to recruit players who fit his style of football to replace the likes of Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic.
One of the earliest names linked with the 20-time English champions was Kalvin Phillips. The reasons are obvious: due to being comfortable both on and off the ball, and when playing as a sole pivot, the Leeds ace was an understandable target, having racked up tremendous Premier League experience over the last two seasons.
However, the Red Devils have met with a disappointing blow as the Englishman does not appear interested in a move away from Elland Road. This is according to the Sun, with the British tabloid claiming that the 26-year-old wishes to remain with his current employers despite interest from Manchester United and Aston Villa, both of which have promising futures ahead.
While this might have left fans disappointed, the Theatre of Dreams crowd can see the silver lining as their club are said to have switched focus to one of France's most promising midfielders.
That man is none other than Aurelien Tchouameni, the highly-rated Monaco ace wanted by several of Europe's biggest clubs. The Ligue 1 talent typically occupies the defensive midfielder role, but the 22-year-old can play elsewhere as well, having been deployed as a box-to-box midfielder here and there. According to ESPN, it is this versatility, on top of his overall brilliance, that has garnered interest from Ten Hag.
Monaco are open to selling the Frenchman, with a price tag of €60M-€70M ($65M-$76M) being named. However, Manchester United aren't the only continental powerhouse interested in Tchouameni's services as PSG, Chelsea, and Real Madrid have all been linked with the player.
Aurelien reportedly prefers a move away from France, which rules out the Parc des Princes. Additionally, Chelsea's ownership issues have left them in a weakened position. As a result, it could boil down to a battle between the Red Devils and Los Blancos.
