Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni pledged the rest of his career to the club he hailed as “the biggest in the world.”
Tchouaméni has been a fixture of Madrid’s midfield since joining from Monaco in 2022 for €80 million ($93.7 million) and stands to become a key part of Xabi Alonso’s new era.
The cerebral World Cup finalist has been operating in a dual role, shifting between the base of midfield and the middle of a back three depending on the opposition and game state as Alonso tinkers with his tactical setup at the Club World Cup.
The 25-year-old still has three years left on his Madrid contract. When asked by Rolling Stone Africa magazine where he would ideally finish his career, Tchouaméni didn’t hesitate: “At the top. Always at the top. Hopefully still at Real Madrid, the biggest club in the world.”
“For me, it’s the biggest club in the world,” the Frenchman continued. “So to get the opportunity to play for them, to enjoy every single moment, I would say that it’s definitely an important one for me.”
After catching the eye of Monaco at Bordeaux, Tchouaméni found himself as the leading target for a fleet of elite European clubs. Premier League outfit Liverpool were thought to be very keen on the towering midfielder in 2022, yet he always had the Spanish capital in his sights.
“I was messaging people saying: ‘Please do all you can to take me to Madrid,’” he revealed at his unveiling. “‘I can’t not go there’.”
When reflecting on the jump from the French top flight to Real Madrid, Tchouaméni was at pains to point out the “levels to this stuff”.
“Obviously, Monaco and Bordeaux helped me to become the player that I am today,” he began. “But Real Madrid is just different. The scrutiny, the dedication that you need, the commitment, the fans all around the world. Every single game you play to win, and you play to win titles. It’s just a dream come true.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Just Different’—Aurelien Tchouameni Makes Major Real Madrid Commitment.
