Aurélien Tchouameni
AS Monaco had the sixth-worst defence in Ligue 1 in the 19/20 season, but after the arrival of young defensive midfielder Aurélien Tchouameni, they finished the following season with the second best. In his debut season, Tchouameni became the player with the most minutes played.
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Monaco scouted Tchouameni when he was at Bordeaux, where he played a total of 1993 minutes in the 18/19 and 19/20 seasons. Despite being only 20 years old, he put in an excellent defensive performance in his second season in Ligue 1 for a team that finished 12th in the league table. Tchouaméni won a lot of balls in the crucial areas of the pitch, read the game well, and for a player of his age, he was extremely strong in the defensive ground duels. He was even better in the air, where he was one of the most successful sixes in the entire league. Monaco paid €18 million for Tchouaméni, and the very next season, he played over 3,000 minutes. During those, he dominated the competition. His success rate in the duels on the ground and in the air was once again breathtaking. Again, he was one of the best sixes in the league, strength-wise.
He usually ranks in the top 5-10% of players at his position in important defensive metrics, and he also looks very good on the ball and in the final third of the pitch.
Before the 22/23 season, he is one of the most in-demand players in the summer transfer market (with rumoured interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United or PSG), and Monaco will make a huge profit by selling him. Not to mention his contribution on the pitch, which has helped the team once again rise to the top of Ligue 1.
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