Real Madrid have completed the signing of Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, it has been confirmed.
The deep-lying playmaker had been coverted by a host of leading European clubs this summer, including French champions Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League outfit Liverpool.
Instead though, the France international will make the move to La Liga, to join the European and Spanish champions as Carlo Ancelotti's latest major signing of the window.
How much will Tchouameni cost Real Madrid?
Tchouameni will cost Real Madrid €100 million (£85m/$107m) overall, though that will be split between an initial transfer fee and bonus payments.
What is Tchouameni's Real Madrid salary and contract length?
Madrid have confirmed that Tchouameni has penned a six-year deal at Santiago Bernabeu, tying him down to Los Blancos through until the summer of 2028.
Reports suggest he is set to earn around £150,000-a-week in terms of salary, after opting for the Champions League holders over a stay in his home country or a move abroad elsewhere.
Who is new Real Madrid signing Aurelien Tchouameni?
NXGN 2019 graduate Tchouameni has enjoyed a superb rise through the domestic and international ranks over the past few seasons.
Signed from Bordeaux in January 2020, he has since played 95 games for Monaco and scored eight goals.
But it has been Tchouameni's efforts away from the final third that have underlined his value to date, even at such a young age.
The 22-year-old's ability to control games from his position as a defensive midfielder has helped him set a steady tempo for his team in big and small games.
He is also at home when it comes to driving possession forward from the back too, allowing him to dictate the offensive flow of a match around him, with some having compared him to a combination of N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba.
His form has seen him named to the Ligue 1 Team of the Year in each of the past two seasons, while he made his France debut in September 2021 and was a member of Didier Deschamps' squad as they beat Spain to win the 2021 Nations League final.
He continues to perform well whenever given the opportunity by Les Bleus, and is all-but assured of a place in the defending champions' squad for the 2022 World Cup.
Paying €100m was the only way Madrid were beating PSG to Tchouameni
By Jorge Picon, GOAL Real Madrid Correspondent
In signing Tchouameni, Real Madrid have brought in a player who promises to be one of the world's leading midfielders for the next decade, as well as a much-needed replacement for Casemiro in the medium to long term.
PSG's late entry into the race to sign him has admittedly increased the price that Madrid were planning on paying, though they never thought this was going to be a cheap signing.
This is a deal that they have been planning for months, and will likely be their only big expense of the summer transfer window.
In the end, Tchouameni's performances over the next few years will determine whether his price is excessive or not, but as the market stands, paying €100m was the only way for Madrid compete with clubs like PSG or from the Premier League.
How will Tchouameni fit in at Real Madrid?
Tchouameni's arrival at the Bernabeu completes Madrid's mission to sign three midfielders who can some day soon step into the shoes of legendary trio Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro.
Each member of that group has now won the Champions League on five occasions - though Kroos' first European triumph came for Bayern Munich in 2013 - but are are now aged 36, 32 and 30, respectively.
Los Blancos now, however, have a succession plan, with Tchouameni joining Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga as midfield options for Carlo Ancelotti.
Despite being just 23, Valverde is a relative veteran of 148 appearances for Madrid, and having played in a number of positions for the clubs since his arrival in 2016, is likely to play as a No.8 in the long term.
Camavinga, meanwhile, enjoyed an encouraging first campaign in the Spanish capital after the 19-year-old joined from Rennes in a €40m (£34m/$47m) deal in August 2021, making some key contributions in their Champions League run.
Who will be Real Madrid's next summer signing?
Tchouameni is the second major new face of what looks set to be a busy summer of movement at the Bernabeu, following Antonio Rudiger's arrival on a free transfer from Chelsea earlier this month.
However, one man it will not be is Kylian Mbappe, after what appeared to be a long-gestating move for the PSG forward sensationally collapsed at the last hour, with the France international instead deciding to renew terms at Parc des Princes.
That has left Madrid on the hunt for another attacking option - and they may find one in Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry, with the Germany international looking to push on for an exit from Allianz Arena following another Bundesliga title triumph.