Tchouaméni: "I told Mbappé that Madrid was my first option"

In a time of club-states and uncontrolled petrodollars in the beautiful game, managing to sign a player who has an offer from PSG, or from City, seems like an impossible task, but Madrid is still capable of it. The weight of its shield and its history cannot be defeated with money, as the white club has shown in the season that has just ended, and that is what Florentino Pérez wanted to emphasize in the presentation ceremony for Aurélien Tchouaméni, who will wear the number 18 .

«Madrid does not stop at complacency. What we have done this season serves to feed the myth. We always want more and constantly improve ourselves. That is why we have to strengthen ourselves with players who believe in our club.

And today we do it with a young footballer who is already one of the best midfielders in the world. Aurélien, at only 22 years old you had the opportunity to choose, and you have chosen this shield and this shirt that has 14 European Cups. Madrid fans are proud that a young talent like you has chosen Real Madrid. You have chosen the most demanding club, but also the most loved and admired.”

Clear and forceful message from President Florentino who, evidently, was leaving a ‘message’ for Mbappé. Unlike Tchouaméni, Kylian chose money over Madrid. The Frenchman, accompanied by his parents, his uncle Bertrand and his agent, signed his contract in the Board room, photographed himself with the 14 European Cups and left his first words as a white player in perfect Spanish: “I am very happy to be here to start my story with Real Madrid, the best club in the world. I’m going to work hard to win titles for this club. Thanks to the president, my agent and my family. Go Madrid”.

After the presentation ceremony, Tchouaméni, accompanied by Emilio Butragueño, attended for the first time the media present in the Valdebebas press room. There he demonstrated, as he had done minutes before at his debut, a maturity and personality that was inappropriate for his young age, 22 years old. Without getting into trouble or putting down the rest of the clubs with which he negotiated, he made it clear on rare occasions that his dream was to go to Madrid, and that is what has happened: «I had the opportunity to choose other teams, but when I knew that Madrid was interested in me, I didn’t doubt it for a single second. I called my agent and told him to close that deal for me. I want to leave a mark on football history, and for that the best team is Madrid. This is the best decision for me.”

During the negotiations, Tchouaméni spoke with Camavinga and Benzema, who made themselves available to help him in whatever he needed, and confessed that Mbappé asked him to join PSG: “He already knew that I was going to leave Monaco and wanted to know if I would sign for PSG, but he understood that my first option was always Real Madrid.”

The French midfielder acknowledges that he is not afraid of the competition or the price paid for it, since he assumes that it is a situation in the current market, and justifies the choice of number 18 because it is the free number most similar to ‘8’, which he always has carried Regarding his position on the field, he explains that his usual position is pivot, but he clarifies that he also knows how to play inside. A very self-demanding player: «I try to be inspired by American culture, by basketball players like Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. I watch your videos on YouTube. They are legends who gave the most of themselves, who always wanted to improve their game to give the best. We cannot stop for a second, we must improve and always work to continue growing. With the minimum we can not think that we are going to achieve success ».

Zidane and Benzema were his childhood idols, and Casemiro a benchmark from whom he hopes to learn a lot and, why not, match him one day: «Casemiro has an exceptional career. When I was young I used to watch Madrid games and I have been very inspired by defensive midfielders like him. I don’t know if I will be his successor or not, but I will try to write my story, and if I manage to win 5 European Cups it will mean that I have not done badly».