Real Madrid have reportedly agreed a deal to sign Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni for a fee that could rise as high as €100m (£85m).
The France international has established a reputation as one of Europe's brightest prospects in the engine room since making the move to the Stade Louis-II from Bordeaux in January 2020.
Tchouameni struck three goals and provided two assists in 35 appearances under Niko Kovac and Philippe Clement last season, helping Monaco achieve a third-placed finish in Ligue 1 and route into the Champions League qualifiers.
The 22-year-old was also named into the Ligue 1 Team of the Season and impressed in the Europa League and Coupe de France, leading to widespread interest in his services.
Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United were all thought to be in the race for Tchouameni, but the midfielder is seemingly heading for the Spanish capital.
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According to The Athletic, Real Madrid have now reached a "verbal agreement" with Monaco for the transfer of Tchouameni and could end up forking out a nine-figure sum for the youngster.
The report adds that Tchouameni has snubbed interest from the Premier League and Paris Saint-Germain to make the move to the Santiago Bernabeu, and Los Blancos are putting the finishing touches on the paperwork.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano adds that Real will fork out an upfront fee of €80m (£68m) for Tchouameni's services, and he will sign a five-year deal until the summer of 2027.
Tchouameni had allegedly agreed personal terms with Carlo Ancelotti's side before their Champions League final victory over Liverpool, whose manager Jurgen Klopp was keen to strike a deal for the former Bordeaux man.
The midfielder is also said to have turned down a more lucrative offer from PSG due to his desire to play for Real Madrid, seeing him end his Monaco stint after two-and-a-half seasons.
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Tchouameni leaves Monaco having scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 95 games for the club in all competitions, and his deal at the Stade Louis-II was due to expire in 2024.
The 6ft 1in lynchpin has already won one international trophy with France in the form of the UEFA Nations League and earned his 10th cap for Les Bleus at senior level in Monday's 1-1 draw with Croatia.
Tchouameni joins Real Madrid one year on from compatriot Eduardo Camavinga, who left Rennes for the Bernabeu and earned numerous plaudits for his cameos off the bench in the Champions League.
Camavinga was spotted liking Romano's Instagram post confirming Tchouameni's imminent move to Los Blancos, as the Frenchman prepares to compete with his compatriot, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Dani Ceballos for places in Ancelotti's midfield.
In spite of Tchouameni's signing, 36-year-old Modric is still set to sign a new one-year deal with the Champions League holders, which will reportedly be confirmed in the coming hours.
Ben Knapton
