Aurelien Tchouameni's reported availability . Liverpool and Real Madrid both agreed personal terms with Tchouameni two years ago, and the midfielder ultimately opted to move to Spain.
However, despite figuring regularly for Madrid, Spanish outlet reports that many important figures at the Bernabeu have "changed their mind" on Tchouameni, and that the club will listen to offers for the France international.
If the report is true, it will be interesting to see if reignites its interest in Tchouameni, considering appears to favor a different profile of deep-lying midfielder to his predecessor.
Jurgen Klopp typically preferred a more traditional enforcer, signing Fabinho to play in that role between 2018 and 2023, before using Wataru Endo there during his final season as Reds boss. Slot, meanwhile, clearly likes more technical players, targeting Spain midfielder Martin Zubimendi during the summer transfer window before entrusting Ryan Gravenberch to operate as a No.6 from the start of this season.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has spoken about Liverpool's midfield on several occasions throughout the early stages of the season, and recently suggested that the Reds don't need to make any new signings.
Following Liverpool's win over Chelsea earlier this month, in which Curtis Jones shone, Carragher said: “I keep thinking in the back of my head, ‘Will Arne Slot go back in for Zubimendi in January?’, and when you see performances like that you’re thinking: ‘No.’ Over the last few weeks I’ve thought maybe Liverpool could still do with a midfielder but when you’ve got someone like Curtis Jones and you’ve got those three battling for those positions, that’s great quality.”
Just weeks earlier, Carragher suggested that the Reds should go back in for Zubimendi in January if it emerged that the midfielder was having regrets about turning down a switch to Anfield. : "If I was Liverpool and that opportunity was back on to get him in January, I'd do it. If that was the player the manager wanted, you do it."
The one common theme to Carragher's two comments was that, should Liverpool dip back into the transfer market in the new midfielder, the profile of midfielder has to be right for what Slot wants to do. Zubimendi obviously was exactly the kind of player that Slot wanted — the same can't be said of Tchouameni, and it would probably be a surprise to see the Reds go back in for him.
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