How will Aurelien Tchouaméni fit into the Real Madrid team?
Real Madrid signed Aurélien Tchouaméni, their second signing of the summer for the 2022-23 season. Kylian Mbappe renewed his contract with Paris Saint-Germain which allowed Los Blancos to focus on other positions and sign players for the future.
Thanks @AS_Monaco for this season. We can be proud !❤️ https://t.co/al6xRCLnRh
The La Liga giants went big and signed the 22-year-old for €100m (€80m fixed + €20m add-ons). The Frenchman will mostly play as the anchor in Madrid's midfield, adding quality and depth to the squad.
This article will show how Tchouaméni can fit into this Madrid team along with his strengths and weaknesses.
Tchouaméni at AS Monaco
Tchouaméni probably was probably the best midfielder in the league last season. He played 2931 league minutes and was crucial in Monaco finishing in third place last season. Monaco usually play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and the Frenchman operated on one of the double pivots along with Youssouf Fofana.
The 22-year-old also played in a single pivot when the team played in a 4-1-4-1 formation. The Frenchman mainly positioned himself in front of the backline, acting as a screener. He is a huge defensive figure in front of the backline with incredible game-reading ability and defensive awareness. He is a physically strong player who tackles with great efficiency and disrupts the opposition attack.
The former Monaco player used his game-reading ability and awareness to predict the opposition's next moves and intercept the pass with his long legs. He ranks third in Europe in making the most number of interceptions. He has great ability to understand the pattern of planning and track the runners in behind and in the half spaces.
With his large frame and athleticism, he is a formidable player in air duels having an aerial success rate of 71.3%. This allows him to win the ball back in aerial duels in the middle of the park and is also a threat in set pieces.
22-year-old reveals that Kylian Mbappé tried to convince him to join PSG – but midfielder wants to 'make history' with European champions
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In the league, he has made 2.5 tackles per 90 and 2.9 interceptions per 90. Along with his big physique, his game awareness, intelligent footballing mindset and ability, he makes a great modern defensive midfielder.
But the Frenchman is not just a detroyer in front of the backline. He also has strong playmaking abilities. However, due to his large physical build, Tchouaméni is not very agile and that affects his dribbling ability in tight spaces or when pressed. He has 5.52 progressive passes per 90 putting him in an elite group of midfielders like Toni Kroos.
His passing has always been consistent, he averages 59 passes per 90 with 87% accuracy in the league. He is great with short and medium ranged passes. But when it comes to his long balls, he lacks the technique for precise and fast long balls. He attempts 3.1 long balls per 90, but the pass has a float to it which reduces its effectiveness.
With his defensive and offensive ability, he is a versatile midfielder who can play as a defensive midfielder and also a number eight in front of defensive midfielders.
How Tchouaméni will be effective for Real Madrid
Real Madrid won the 2022 UEFA Champions League, defying the odds in each of their knockout rounds. But the squad has no depth in some important positions, which has proven costly for them. There is no replacement for Karim Benzema in the squad who is a goal scorer and creates attacking sequences for Madrid.
The same can be said for the defensive midfield position, as there is no replacement for Casemiro when he is suspended or injured. With no screener in front of the backline, the Madrid defense was taken apart by Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.
The use of Kroos or Federico Valverde may work, but not against quality opposition. The Frenchman will be a great addition to the team addressing this particular shortcoming. The 2022 La Liga winners will mostly face teams who use low blocks to play deep and park the bus. They play on the counter or feed long balls to the striker, using him as the target man to start an attack.
Either way, Tchouaméni can win the ball in an aerial duel against big strikers if a long ball is played. He can also disrupt the counter attack by reading the game and making timely interceptions or taking positions to nullify the counter attack.
Tchouaméni may not have a lot of minutes this season, as the legendary midfield of Luka Modric, Kroos and Casemiro will play the most matches. But it will be an important season to learn from the best players in the world right now and improve his game even more.
This version of Tchouaméni is not the finished product. There is room for improvement and being apart of this team will make him a great midfielder in the future. Real Madrid have made a great investment in one of the most prodigious talents in world football, which will give dividends sooner rather than later.