Currently under fire at Real Madrid for his performances, Aurélien Tchouaméni is on the list of players for sale. A jack-of-all-trades for Carlo Ancelotti, here are the hidden stories of the French player’s career.
He has been in professional football since 2018. Trained at Girondins de Bordeaux, Aurélien Tchouaméni has experienced a meteoric rise in his career. After spending two years with his club’s senior team between 2018 and 2020 (37 matches with 1 goal), the player moved up a level by signing with AS Monaco. During two seasons with the Monegasques in Ligue 1, the player of Cameroonian origin scored 11 goals in 95 matches. Admired for his physical impact in midfield, Tchouaméni caught the eye of Real Madrid, who went all out to sign him in 2022 for a staggering €80 million.
Tchouaméni’s tumultuous recent months in Madrid
Having joined Spain’s biggest club to replace players like Casemiro, Aurélien Tchouaméni started slowly under Carlo Ancelotti. After spending just over two years in the Spanish capital, the Rouen-born player has yet to impress. Despite significant playing time in Madrid colours, he struggles to show an outstanding level. In recent weeks, the French international has been playing in defence. Given the intense competition in midfield, Ancelotti has repositioned his versatile player as a central defender.
While he filled in at this position last season, Tchouaméni, who is expected to make up for the absence of Éder Militão, is falling short. Facing the impressive defender Raúl Asensio, the French midfielder has been disappointing defensively. Very slow and often poorly positioned, the former Bordeaux player has been singled out as one of the main culprits in Real Madrid’s recent struggles. Against FC Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final of 2025 a few days ago, Aurélien got everything wrong. Currently, statistics indicate that Real Madrid concedes a lot of goals with the French player on the field.
Given the disappointment of Real Madrid’s management, he has been placed on the transfer list. On the radar of clubs like Liverpool in the Premier League, Tchouaméni could leave the Madrid outfit at the end of the season if an attractive offer comes in. For now, Ancelotti refuses to part with him and continues to publicly support him despite the heavy criticism. As we wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds for the young Frenchman, what do we know about the early stages of his career?
Little-known facts about Tchouaméni
The son of Fernand, a pharmacist, and Josette, a senior education advisor, Aurélien Tchouaméni was born on 27 January 2000 in Rouen, France. Unlike other players born to footballer parents, the current Real Madrid number 14 discovered football while accompanying his father to his workplace matches. At the age of five, he started playing for the modest club Sportive Jeunesse d’Artigues-près-Bordeaux. Among children his age, Aurélien quickly stood out for his intelligence and physical prowess.
Spotted by Girondins de Bordeaux, Tchouaméni began his formal football training at the age of 11 (in 2011). Initially a forward, he played as a striker for three years, scoring a few goals until the age of 14. Ultimately, Aurélien was moved to midfield due to his playing style and attributes, which were not those of a typical striker.
Despite his father’s desire for him not to pursue a professional football career, the Madrid player climbed the ranks quickly and signed his first professional contract with Girondins de Bordeaux at 17, on 10 November 2017. Starting from scratch, Aurélien Tchouaméni carved a path for himself among the most promising midfielders. Currently underwhelming at Real Madrid, the player seems to be struggling due to frequent positional changes and a heavy schedule of matches. Still sought after by clubs, he could move on next season and potentially showcase his talent elsewhere.
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