Manchester United have been implored to sign a Real Madrid star this summer amid the ongoing tensions at the club.
There has been recent widespread reports of discontent at the Spanish giants – which includes Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni’s training ground altercation, Antonio Rudiger slapping Alvaro Carreras as well as Kylian Mbappe having a row with a member of manager Alvaro Arbeloa’s backroom staff.
Real’s off-the-field matters were compounded last Sunday by having to watch eternal rivals be crowned LaLiga champions after a 2-0 victory in El Clasico.
And amid all of their issues, Rio Ferdinand has called on United to ‘pounce’ for one of Real’s key players in what he believes would be an ‘unbelievable signing’.
The player in question? Tchouameni.
Speaking about the midfielder, Ferdinand said on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel: ‘Tchouameni, allegedly, has had a bit of a fight with Valverde in training. That wouldn’t worry me one bit him coming to Manchester United. I want a bit of fight, I want a bit of aggression.
Rio Ferdinand has called for Manchester United to sign Real Madrid star Aurelien Tchouameni
Tchouameni (left) had a training ground altercation with Federico Valderde over two days
‘He’s not somebody who has been places and then they go: “Oh guys, he’s trouble.” I’ve met him, he’s a lovely guy.
‘He’s quite softly spoken but if you put him into a 90-minute match where it means something, then the guy can play. He can do both sides of the game: he can play but can also rattle a few and get around people – he’s versatile.
‘I really like Tchouameni, if we can get him, it would be an unbelievable signing. If we can pounce in a moment where there’s a bit of destabilisation at the club and his position is a bit of a concern for them, then I think we’ve got to strike.’
As detailed in the latest Manchester United Confidential column, Daily Mail Sport detailed how Tchouameni remains one of their transfer targets this summer as they look to rebuild their midfield.
The 26-year-old is among their £80million bracket of midfielders which includes AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit, Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and Newcastle man Sandro Tonali.
Following Tchouameni and Valverde’s fight on May 7, which saw the latter go to hospital, both players were hit with €500,000 (around £430,000) fines.
Spanish outlets had revealed that a clash that started the previous day had spilled over into a physical confrontation.
Valverde had reportedly refused to shake Tchouameni’s hand despite doing so with the rest of the group. Then, in a training session, the team captain flew into a number of increasingly forceful challenges with his rival.
Tchouameni is among United’s £80million transfer targets as they look to rebuild their midfield
Drawn into the same team for a contest later in the session, Valverde is then thought to have implied that Tchouameni was lucky not to be facing off with him, before things took a more physical turn.
Valverde is believed to have insulted the Frenchman before he was struck. As the pair scrapped, the former hit a table, causing a cut which bled and briefly losing consciousness, which sparked deep concern from team-mates including Tchouameni.
Later on May 7, Valverde had insisted on social media that neither he nor Tchouameni had thrown a punch.
As a result of his injuries though he missed their El Clasico defeat, while Tchouameni played the full duration of the match.
