An £85 million-rated midfielder is now being included as part of a swap deal in Real Madrid’s pursuit of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. This potential part-exchange arrangement suggests Real Madrid’s strong interest in bringing Fernandez into their squad.

Aurelien Tchouameni joined Real Madrid for approximately £85 million from Monaco in the summer of 2022 and has since made 102 appearances for the first team across all competitions. The 24-year-old experienced some minor injuries last season but still contributed 38 matches to Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, which secured the La Liga title, Champions League, and Supercopa de España.

This season, Tchouameni has started 13 of Real Madrid’s 15 games, mainly playing as a defensive midfielder, although he has also stepped in at center back on a few occasions. Despite being a regular under Ancelotti, Spanish outlet Relevo reports that the club is considering selling him due to a decline in form that has seen him lose favor at the Santiago Bernabéu.

According to the report, while Ancelotti still believes in Tchouameni’s potential as a midfield pivot, the club’s leadership favors Eduardo Camavinga and is now open to allowing Tchouameni to leave, even though he was once viewed as untouchable.

Additionally, Fichajes indicates that Real Madrid might use Tchouameni as part of a deal to acquire Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. The club is reportedly prepared to offer around €100 million (£84.4 million) for Fernandez, contingent on either selling Tchouameni or including him in a trade.

If Real Madrid indicates an intention to offload Tchouameni, it could attract interest from Premier League teams like Manchester United and Liverpool, both of which have been linked to the midfielder. Chelsea had also shown interest in Tchouameni prior to his move to Madrid, but it remains uncertain whether they would reignite that pursuit.

Fernandez himself, who has made 74 appearances for Chelsea since his £107 million transfer from Benfica in January 2023, is not actively being sold, but he may seek a “change of scenery” due to limited playing time under Enzo Maresca and concerns about Chelsea’s progress.

While Chelsea has a deep midfield roster, including players like Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, it’s unclear if they would part with Fernandez. Real Madrid is also reportedly considering Manchester City’s Rodri as a target should they decide to let Tchouameni go.

The situation remains fluid, and Premier League clubs are likely to monitor developments closely if Real Madrid makes Tchouameni available for transfer.