'His people liked Liverpool': Reds definitely an option if £68m player is looking to leave his club - journalist

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As we creep further towards the January transfer window, Liverpool should be starting to have one eye on the market.

The Reds failed to do much business at all during 2024, meaning that the jury is still very much out on new sporting director Richard Hughes.

With Liverpool sitting top of the Premier League and the Champions League, fans will want to see a show of support towards Arne Slot in the New Year.

If the Liverpool owners get out their chequebook and back Slot with a big new signing, confidence will be there that the Reds can push on and claim a big trophy this season.

To many, the signing that is needed more than any other remains a new holding midfield player.

And as the countdown begins to the window swinging open, links continue to appear with Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.

Liverpool first in line for Aurelien Tchouameni

Liverpool tried to sign Tchouameni in 2022 before the Frenchman joined Real Madrid for £68m.

Ever since then, rumours that the Reds could come back in for the midfielder have never fully gone away.

Ahead of the January window, there have been claims that Liverpool have been back in touch with Tchouameni after Real put him up for sale.

But according to journalist Graeme Bailey, Madrid have not yet made such a decision. Speaking exclusively to Rousing The Kop, Bailey says that while reports of contact being made are ‘jumping the gun,’ Liverpool would certainly be in the picture if Tchouameni was on the market.

READ MORE: Whether Liverpool could really come back and sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid

“Obviously he’s a player who Liverpool liked a lot,” explains the transfer expert. “It hasn’t quite gone to plan in Spain but I don’t think he’s been a disaster by any stretch of the imagination. I’m not sure whether Real are ready to cut the cord yet, but it will depend on what they do in the summer.

“From what I’m hearing they’re not in a hurry to get rid of him. But clearly if he is available, his people liked Liverpool, so, Liverpool would be one of the first teams to get a phone call.

“Would Liverpool turn their noses up at him? I don’t think they would but I think people are jumping the gun a little bit on that one.”

Why would Real Madrid sell Aurelien Tchouameni?

Once Tchouameni joined Real, you would have imagined that the links to Liverpool would have stopped. It had been predicted that the France international would shine in Spain.

But while the team have been successful – winning the Champions League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey amongst other gongs – Tchouameni has underwhelmed a little.

Nevertheless, it would still seem strange that Florentino Perez would sell the 24-year-old.

Tchouameni has played 103 times already for Real in just over two years and is clearly an important player for Carlo Ancelotti.

With Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Jude Bellingham in the squad as well, the European champions are stacked with top midfielders, but no one quite like Tchouameni. If he is for sale and Liverpool do get a call, they’d be minded to ask exactly why.