Cesc Fabregas is confident Chelsea target Aurelien Tchouameni will become a top midfielder but hopes he stays at Monaco.
The French midfielder has quickly established himself as one of the biggest talents in Ligue 1 after a stellar 2020/21 campaign.
Tchouameni is reportedly on Thomas Tuchel's radar this summer as the German coach looks to strengthen his midfield options in the transfer window, even after the formidable performances Jorginho and N'Golo Kante produced during the Blues' Champions League triumph last month.
Fabregas and Tchouameni have been playing alongside each other for Monaco since the 21-year-old joined from Bordeaux last summer and the Spaniard thinks his midfield partner has immense potential.
"He (Tchouameni) has the potential to be the complete midfielder," Fabregas said on his Twitter account, responding to a fan.
"Modern midfield player, but we need him still… sorry!"
Tchouameni is an extremely versatile player and can perform in a number of midfield roles, something Fabregas singled out when he was asked about his teammate in April.
"I think he can play anywhere in midfield and he will not have a problem," he told BT Sport.
"He can play as a defensive midfielder, a six as well, he can play as a number eight.
"In (a few) years' time, I even believe he can become a good number 10 because he has the power to get into the box. His final pass needs to improve a little bit but he is so young.
"He is determined to learn and from what I can see and the will that he has, he has a bright future in front of him."
The Blues are likely to prioritise spending big on a world-class striker over midfielders this summer so Tchouameni, who is valued at around £27 million, could be an alternative cheaper midfield option for Tuchel.
