Bayern Munich want Liverpool target Aurelien Tchouameni on loan

Bayern Munich have been tipped to make an approach for Aurelien Tchouameni, as Thomas Tuchel searches for a new defensive midfielder.

The Frenchman was a long-term target for Liverpool before his eventual 2022 move from Monaco to Real Madrid for an initial €80m.

Jurgen Klopp reportedly even met Tchouameni in an attempt to convince him to swap Monaco for Merseyside, but the lure of Madrid proved too enticing, and Liverpool failed to sign any midfielder at all last summer.

There have been suggestions that Liverpool remain interested in the 23-year-old, whose maiden season in Spain was somewhat underwhelming. However, the player himself seemed to shut down talk of a transfer last month by liking a Twitter post denying speculation linking him to the Reds.

While most reports claim that Real Madrid's public stance on Tchouameni is that he is not for sale, the France international's starting berth is far from guaranteed under Carlo Ancelotti. There has been also talk that Los Blancos will need to sell a big name to free up funds for Kylian Mbappe's inevitable arrival this summer or next.

Liverpool are, seemingly, not the only club interested in Tchouameni, however. German transfer reporter Christian Falk, writing on Fabrizio Romano's Daily Briefing, reports that Bayern Munich would be interested in a one-year loan deal for the midfielder, with manager Tuchel going public on the need to beef up his engine room.

"We don't have a proper holding number six who's more about providing defensive protection," the ex-Chelsea boss said earlier in pre-season. "It's my observation that we don't have that type of player."

Meanwhile, Sport say that Real Madrid will listen to offers for Tchouameni in order to meet FFP obligations with Mbappe on the horizon.

Whether Klopp and the Reds hierarchy will be tempted to resume their own pursuit of Tchouameni remains to be seen, with the club still in dire need of a defensive midfielder.

The Reds have seen two bids for Romeo Lavia rejected, while Andre Trindade of Fluminense is also under observation with an eye to a move.

Curiously, Fabrizio Romano (speaking on the Born and Red podcast) has suggested Liverpool could still attempt to sign Bayern's Ryan Gravenberch this summer, if the Dutch star pushes to leave.