Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Double whammy for Liverpool as victim of Bellingham saga ‘rejects’ escape route to Klopp

Tchouameni and Camavinga

Liverpool will not be able to tempt Aurelien Tchouameni away from Real Madrid after reviving their interest in the midfielder as a potential replacement for Fabinho, according to reports.

Tchouameni was on Liverpool’s radar last summer, but Real Madrid managed to buy him from Monaco instead. This year, the Reds are finally catching up by reinforcing their midfield at long last.

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have joined from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively. But the imminent departure of Fabinho – plus the risk of Jordan Henderson ending up in Saudi Arabia too – has heightened the need for Liverpool to sign a third, more defensive midfielder.

In that regard, they may be hopeful of having a better chance of signing Tchouameni this year. Links with the France international have resurfaced, especially after Madrid beat Liverpool to yet another midfield target in the shape of Jude Bellingham.

Theoretically, Bellingham might push Tchouameni further down the pecking order at the Bernabeu. In turn, Liverpool could offer the 23-year-old an escape route.

According to AS, though, Tchouameni clearly ‘rejects’ the idea of leaving Madrid for Liverpool. Under contract until 2028, he has made his position obvious by liking a social media post reporting that his club want to keep him.

The update from AS verifies that Carlo Ancelotti ‘trusts’ Tchouameni still and believes he will become the ‘best version’ of himself again next season – at Madrid and nowhere else.

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Liverpool would have faced Bayern competition for Tchouameni

Even if Madrid had been open to selling Tchouameni, it might not necessarily have been to Liverpool. The report claims Bayern Munich were keen on him as well, for a couple of reasons.

First of all, Thomas Tuchel already wanted to sign Tchouameni for Chelsea in his previous job. Then, since returning to Germany, the manager has been aiming to add a midfielder to his Bayern squad, but has missed out on Declan Rice to Arsenal.

Neither Liverpool nor Bayern will be able to get their hands on Tchouameni this summer, though. Hence, he will compete with Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and others for his place in Ancelotti’s midfield.

Liverpool will have to look elsewhere for the final piece of their midfield puzzle. They have already said goodbye to James Milner, Naby Keita, Fabio Carvalho, Arthur Melo and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer, so the prospect of Fabinho and Henderson departing too would serve as a reminder that they still have a void to fill.

In that regard, Tuesday’s European round-up relayed news that, coincidentally, an existing Bayern midfielder may be available for a Liverpool transfer.