French sensation Aurelien Tchouameni has outlined his admiration for both Liverpool and Real Madrid, who will contest in this weekend’s Champions League final.
The 22-year-old Monaco midfielder has been linked to just about every elite European side worth their salt, not least the Reds and Los Blancos.
The Bordeaux graduate rose to meteoric prominence for Les Girondins before enhancing his reputation in the principality.
His form on the French Riviera has been such that he has already racked up eight caps for France, and a move to one of Europe’s truly elite now beckons.
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly the frontrunners for his signature, but the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool are thought to be monitoring his situation.
And when pressed on which of this season’s Champions League finalists he prefers, Tchouameni took a more diplomatic approach.
“I like both [Real Madrid and Liverpool]: I can watch Spanish games and English games,” he told CNN.
“It’s different to play in Spain and it’s different to play in England, but at the end, for me, it’s just a matter of adaptation.”
Tchouameni went on to discuss the many influences shaping his playing style, name-dropping a certain Cesc Fabregas as one of his biggest mentors.
He said: “Fabregas is a legend of football, so when I came here, my first idea was to ask him a lot of questions – his movements, how he gives the ball.
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“For me, it’s easy because I have one of the best midfielders in football; he helps me a lot. I have everything here to develop and grow as a player.”
Monaco’s third-placed finish this season means they are back in the Champions League, which certainly bodes well for their chances of retaining Tchouameni.
But the young midfielder has been talking up his ‘ambitions’ to win something in football, and even hinted at the possibility of trying out something new.
“I’m an ambitious person. Every time I do something, I just want to win,” he added. “If I want to be great, I have to adapt to find some stuff that will allow me to grow as a player.”
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