Manchester United could be set to repeat a masterclass from just last summer, looking to snag another star from a European heavyweight…
Is Aurelien Tchouameni leaving Real Madrid?
Amidst Erik ten Hag's first window in charge, the Dutchman sought to truly make his mark on a struggling squad with a number of key additions.
Whilst Lisandro Martinez and Antony came from his old club, it was instead Casemiro who stood out amongst all of the new recruits, bringing quality, experience and tenacity in bucketloads.
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Having enjoyed another summer of vast change, he could once again look to Real Madrid to cap off a fine transfer period, with links suggesting they could prey on the frustrations felt by the out-of-favour Aurelien Tchouameni to bring him to Old Trafford.
The Frenchman only moved to the Spanish capital last year, in a switch rising to €100m (£86m).
How good is Aurelien Tchouameni?
Whilst his exit would come as a surprise to many, given the bright future the 23-year-old is set to enjoy at the Santiago Bernabeu, he would almost certainly be assured more play time should he join Ten Hag's revolution.
After all, for all his immense quality, the midfielder made just 24 starts last term in La Liga, averaging 65 minutes per game.
However, he certainly thrived when the opportunity was handed to him, as he used these league showings to maintain a 7.13 average rating. This was a score buoyed by his exemplary defensive figures, as he managed a stunning 94% pass accuracy alongside 1.5 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 1.5 clearances per game, via Sofascore.
In fact, these figures suggest that he is one of the finest midfield stalwarts on the continent, starring at both ball retention and winning it back.
When compared to other midfielders across Europe, he ranks in the top 1% for both pass completion and interceptions per 90, with journalist Stefan Bienkowski suggesting he remains part of an elite crop of talent at Carlo Ancelotti's disposal:
"Real Madrid already have three potentially world-class midfielders in Valverde, Camavinga and Tchouameni. And yet… they reportedly want another 3-4."
Should he move to Manchester and translate these talents with ease, there is every reason to suggest he would emulate the masterclass had with Casemiro the year earlier.
The 31-year-old tread that same path, and instantly became one of United's top performers in the Premier League, with his 7.21 average rating only surpassed by the ever-brilliant Bruno Fernandes.
He too shone defensively, screening a backline that helped David De Gea end his career at the club with the Golden Glove award.
His 3.2 tackles and 2.1 clearances per game (via Sofascore) bolstered such a notion, which led to widespread praise.
Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes even claimed:
"He's a proper Manchester United midfielder that gets involved in everything. You see him up the pitch, you see him defending, you see him controlling the game at times.
"He's probably as close to Roy Keane as you're going to get. I think he's been brilliant."
And yet, all the figures suggest that Tchouameni, at eight years his junior, could prove just as impactful.
This could be one of Ten Hag's finest coups yet, and not just repeat, but surpass their masterclass by signing Casemiro from Los Blancos the summer earlier.