Real Madrid and Ancelotti consider 23-year-old midfielder to be ‘indispensable’

Aurelien Tchouameni arrived at Real Madrid as the Merengues’ long-term successor in the defensive midfield.

The plan was clear – develop the Frenchman as Casemiro’s second before throwing him into the deep end.

The plan collapsed soon after, however, when Casemiro left the club for Manchester United. Tchouameni was suddenly the team’s first-choice pivot across all competitions with the limelight on him.

Yet, he did not collapse under pressure. He instead took the opportunity with both hands and established himself as a key member of the team, and to this day is untouchable in Carlo Ancelotti’s dynamics.

As revealed in AS‘s recent report, Ancelotti considers Tchouameni to be indispensable in his plans.

The player’s recent performances after an injury hiatus have reestablished his status as a bonafide starter and El Clasico was the perfect example of why Los Blancos trust the player so much.

Against the Blaugranas, Tchouameni stood out as a special presence in midfield. In 90 minutes on the night, he completed 91% of his passes, provided one key pass and completed a staggering 15 defensive actions.

Further, he boasted of an accuracy of 66% with long balls and duels won.

The management maintains complete faith in his abilities for the season ahead and see him as one for the long haul. Needless to say, the youngster is still far from his best version at this tender age.

Having lost David Alaba to a long-term injury after Eder Militao, Real Madrid were initially tempted to sign a new defender this winter. After all, Nacho Fernandez and Antonio Rudiger are the manager’s only fit central defensive options.

Yet, the management opted against signing a new player after much deliberation and Tchouameni was one of the primary reasons for the same.

Carlo Ancelotti has complete faith in the Frenchman to cover in central defence if the need arises and has planned the next six months of the team’s defence with Tchouameni as a reliable backup.

The added responsibility is indeed a challenge, but not one the player will fear given his experience in covering in central defence.