Monaco’s Tchouameni joins Real Madrid on six-year deal

France midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has joined Real Madrid from Monaco, both clubs announced on Saturday.

According to sources, the 22-year-old has cost the Champions League and La Liga holders more than 80 million euros ($84 million) as well as an additional 20 million euros in bonuses.

The former Bordeaux playmaker has won 11 caps since making his Les Bleus debut in September.

“Real Madrid and Monaco have agreed on the transfer of the player Aurelien Tchouameni, who will be linked to the club for the next six seasons,” they said.

“Next Tuesday, June 14, at 12:00 at Real Madrid City, the presentation ceremony for Aurelien Tchouameni as a new Real Madrid player will take place after the corresponding medical examination,” they added.

Madrid have also signed Chelsea centre-back Antonio Ruediger ahead of the new season but missed out on Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe last month as he decided to stay in the French capital.

At Santiago Bernabeu, Tchouameni will team up with fellow French youngsters in Eduardo Camavinga after the 19-year-old left Rennes for Madrid last summer.

Les Bleus striker Karim Benzema and left-back Ferland Mendy are also already at Madrid.

Tchouameni made his Bordeaux debut in 2018 before heading to the Principality in January 2020 for 20 million euros.

He helped Monaco to the Champions League third qualifying round in his first season before doing so again this term, when he played 50 games in all competitions.

During August’s third-round first-leg win at Sparta Prague, he was the victim of racist abuse from the home crowd after scoring.

Following the match, he pleaded with UEFA to take tougher action against the racists, including consulting players who have been abused in the formulation of protocols.

Recently in Paris, he met former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sparked a nationwide debate in 2016 by taking the knee for the US national anthem to draw attention to racial injustice.

AFP