Aurélien Tchouaméni and Other Great Sales of AS Monaco

The transfer market in European soccer continues to advance between official announcements and rumours. After winning the Champions League, Real Madrid has begun to strengthen all its lines and one of the most important is the midfield where veterans Modric, Kross and Casemiro stand out. To do this, the Spanish team obtained the services of one of the many young figures of AS Monaco and who sooner rather than later will be a reference in world soccer: Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The 22-year-old Frenchman is the one chosen to be the future successor to Casemiro, in addition to forming one of the most promising trivotes in Europe with Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga. The truth of the matter is that Tchouaméni's decision to choose Real Madrid was clear and without hesitation, rejecting a much better offer from PSG who also wanted it. In the end, the transfer was finalized for around €80 million (plus €20m in variables) to thereby become the second most expensive sale in the history of AS Monaco.

What will Tchouaméni bring to Real Madrid?

Aurélien Tchouaméni was trained in the youth categories of Girondins de Bordeaux, a club that gave him the opportunity to make his professional debut at the age of 18. There he only played one season, as AS Monaco acquired him in 2020 for a cost of €18 million. Despite not being taken into account from the beginning, over time he gained the trust of his coach Niko Kovac and, later, he showed great qualities that quickly led him to the French National Team to play in the UEFA Nations League.

The Frenchman is considered one of the most promising midfielders in world soccer. His performance did not stop growing during his time in Monaco, something that attracted attention in several elite clubs. His height (1.87cm) and his weight (81kg) make the perfect balance so that he can win with his physique anywhere on the field. He excels at cutting off rival attacks, protecting or driving the ball, his intelligence on the field leads him to adapt to any scenario and take the initiative of his own.

In general terms, his arrival at Real Madrid goes much further than just his individual qualities. With other youngsters like Valverde and Camavinga in the team, Tchouaméni's future is to be the defensive pivot for the next five years, thus giving more creative freedom of play to the Uruguayan and his French compatriot. It will be up to him to adapt to Carlo Ancelotti's 4-3-3 system and begin to assume a decisive role in one of the best clubs in the world.

AS Monaco, a platform towards the elite

In soccer there are two types of institutions: those that focus on buying and those that are dedicated to selling. In that last line is AS Monaco, a club that for a few decades has been dedicated to making the best transactions in the transfer markets. Its formula, like that of Borussia Dortmund, consists of finding those young promises at a low price and then finishing training them and thus making the leap in quality towards the soccer elite.

Likewise, it is worth noting that among his most outstanding sales between the end of the 90's and the beginning of the 2000 are names like Thierry Henry, who made the jump to Juventus in 1998 for €12.5m; Fabien Barthez, who moved to Manchester United in 2000 for €11.7m; Sonny Anderson, Brazilian striker who landed at FC Barcelona for €26.25m in 1997; or David Trezeguet, who arrived in 2000 for €23.24m at Juventus to make history.

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However, none of those mentioned above are part of the top-10 in sales of AS Monaco. Said list begins with Tiemoué Bakayoko, signed for €8m and sold to Chelsea for €40m; Youri Tielemans, bought for €25m and sold for €45m to Leicester City; Fabinho, arriving for €6m and sold to Liverpool for €45m; Bernardo Silva, acquired for €15.75m and sold for €50m to Manchester City; and Benjamin Mendy, signed for €13m and sold for €57.5m also to Manchester City.

Lastly, and adding to the aforementioned transfer of Tchouaméni that places him in second position, the other sales include players such as Anthony Martial, transferred for €60 million to Manchester United (acquired for €5m from Olympique Lyon); Thomas Lemar, sold to Atlético de Madrid for €72m (joined from SM Caen for €4m); James Rodríguez, who made the jump to Real Madrid for €75m (signed for €45m from Porto); and Kylian Mbappé, who came through Monaco's youth ranks to be the biggest sale for €180m to PSG.