Liverpool are on the hunt for another midfielder after securing the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and a new update has emerged on a potential move for a familiar transfer target.
What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Aurelien Tchouameni?
According to The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe, Liverpool have reignited their interest in Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni this summer.
Bascombe claims that Tchouameni is the player Jurgen Klopp would want to sign if he was made available by Los Blancos, which is likely to depend on their potential signing of Kylian Mbappe, with Tchouameni's sale able to boost funds in order to secure the Paris Saint-Germain star's signature.
Did Liverpool bid for Tchouameni?
Tchouameni will be a well-known player to the Anfield faithful after Liverpool made the Frenchman their top midfield target last summer, however, an approach from their Champions League rivals was too tempting for the player to refuse.
In the summer of 2022, the Reds reportedly agreed personal terms with Tchouameni, but within weeks, he was confirmed as a Real Madrid player in a €100m (£86.5m) deal.
It was then reported last month that Liverpool have made a €55m (£47m) bid to tempt him away from Spain, however, it is short of expectations, with Florentino Perez demanding an eye-watering fee of €80m (£69m).
Indeed, it would be a substantial investment for FSG to sanction this summer after spending over £95m already, but with both Fabinho and Jordan Henderson set to depart for the Saudi Pro League this summer, it could be a move that sets up Liverpool's midfield for many years to come.
Tchouameni is one of the hottest young prospects in Europe, ranking in the top 1% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for pass completion and interceptions, as well as ranking in the top 11% for aerial duels won and clearances, demonstrating strong midfield traits that could make him not only the perfect Henderson replacement, but also a great partner for Mac Allister.
When comparing the 23-year-old's output with the Liverpool skipper's last season, Tchouameni comfortably outperformed the England midfielder in a number of key attributes, including pass completion (92.8% v 83%), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.51 v 0.30), successful take-ons (71.8% v 52.2%), percentage of tacklers dribbled (60.5% v 41.7%) and aerial duels won (66.7% v 52.4%).
In terms of building a partnership with Mac Allister, the former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder's connection with Moises Caicedo became an unstoppable force on the south coast last season, which ultimately played a huge part in the Seagulls' qualification for European football.
As per FBref, Caicedo is named as one of the most comparable players to Tchouameni over the last 12 months, with the pair sharing similarities in their pass completion (92.8% v 88.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.47 v 2.52) and progressive passes per 90 (6.32 v 6.28), suggesting that Mac Allister could thrive alongside the France international, too.
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to sign Tchouameni this summer – he has previously been hailed as a "ridiculous talent" by journalist Josh Bunting – and if they could secure a deal with Real Madrid, it would deliver Klopp a full midfield rebuild ahead of next season.