United's pursuit of Tchouameni may turn out to be a fantasy, as Real Madrid officially states they will not sign Enzo! Must avoid repeating the De Jong mistake

After losing the battle for Matheus Fernandes to Tottenham, Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and some fans have set their sights even higher, hoping to land Real Madrid's French defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni! Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the 26-year-old Tchouameni is Ratcliffe's "dream signing." However, like many others, this dream of the Red Devils may always remain out of reach.

Real Madrid issued an official statement on Friday, indicating they have no intention of signing Enzo Fernandez. And securing a high-priced new defensive midfielder like Enzo was a prerequisite for Florentino Perez and Jose Mourinho to consider selling Tchouameni. According to previous rumors, Chelsea is demanding €120 million (£103 million) for Enzo, which is also the amount needed to acquire Tchouameni from Real Madrid.

Therefore, for Manchester United, the hope of realizing the Tchouameni dream hinges on Real Madrid signing Enzo. If that happens, they might accept an offer for Tchouameni to fill the financial gap. At the same time, Tchouameni himself might contemplate whether to leave due to his uncertain position.

According to inside sources, although Manchester United refused to pay high transfer fees for Elliot Anderson, M. Fernandes, and Sandro Tonali, Ratcliffe, who sees Tchouameni as a dream, is willing to make an exception for him, even breaking the club's salary structure to sign him.

However, just like Real Madrid's pursuits of Alvarez and Olise, such a deal does not depend on the buyer but on the club that owns the player. The transfer can only move forward if Real Madrid wants to sell Tchouameni, and he might only then consider a move. Otherwise, he is very happy at the Bernabeu and has no desire to leave.

In a public statement, Real Madrid emphasized that they have not engaged in any negotiations to sign Enzo. "In light of recent reports suggesting Real Madrid's interest in Enzo, the club wishes to make it clear: we have not taken any direct or indirect action to attempt to sign this player, nor do we have any such intention."

Real Madrid added: "Real Madrid holds great respect for Enzo, an exceptionally talented player whose career and competitive level are widely recognized. At the same time, we also respect Chelsea, as the two clubs share a good cooperative relationship. Out of respect for Chelsea and in line with Real Madrid's consistent principle of loyalty, the club feels compelled to firmly deny these baseless speculations, which are entirely false."

The statement concluded: "The facts are clear: the club has taken no action, yet unfounded rumors continue to circulate. This not only confuses fans but also causes unnecessary harm to the relevant clubs and individuals. Real Madrid regrets this."

Real Madrid's official response to the Enzo rumors may suggest that new coach Jose Mourinho is quite satisfied with his assessment of the current midfield lineup. All signs point to Tchouameni staying with the "Galacticos." Ratcliffe and Manchester United had better reconsider their midfield targets and stop chasing unrealistic options.

Manchester United's midfield rebuild cannot rely on luck or be delayed too long, avoiding the mistake made four years ago when they attempted to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona. Back then, the Red Devils fruitlessly pursued Ten Hag's dream target De Jong for over three months, only to find it was impossible. Although the club eventually stumbled into luck by signing Casemiro from Real Madrid at the last minute, they cannot count on such good fortune every time.

Now, Manchester United may have to consider Bournemouth's Alex Scott as the primary option. Sources say: "Among the midfielders United are currently scouting, Scott's ranking is not high. However, he is a player the club has been monitoring for years. Manchester United's scouts think highly of him, and his performances this season have left a strong impression. I believe the answer will become clear in the coming weeks."

Sometimes, players who are not the first choice turn out to be the answer, just like Casemiro, who has recently left Manchester United. As everyone knows, the "Beast" successfully made Old Trafford fans forget about De Jong over four years. Last summer, the Red Devils wanted Liam Delap, but he chose Chelsea, and two months later, United signed Sesko.