OFFICIAL: Aurelien Tchouameni will wear the No 18 shirt at Real Madrid

Real Madrid had already confirmed the signing of talented French midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni from AS Monaco. The transfer fee agreed is €80m plus add-ons which almost amounts to €100m.

Today, Tchouameni has officially signed his contract with Real Madrid as he was presented in front of the Los Blancos fans. The 22-year-old will wear the No 18 shirt at Real Madrid, the number worn by Gareth Bale last season as he departs the club this summer.

Tchouameni’s favourite number is No 8, but he has also worn the No 16 and No 17 shirts in the past. He said: “I played a lot with No.8 shirt at the youth teams, at my clubs and national team, but Toni Kroos has No.8. I asked which numbers were available and I chose No.18, which is the closest to No.8.”

Will Aurelien Tchouameni be able to overcome the curse of the No 18 shirt at Real Madrid?

During the past years, Real Madrid don’t have a very good memory with the No 18 shirt holders as the players never went on to unleash their full potential during their stay at the Bernabeu.

Players like Jonathan Woodgate, Julien Faubert, Antonio Cassano, Luka Jovic, Mariano Diaz and Javier Saviola all have struggled to live up to the expectations of Real Madrid. However, Tchouameni is a special talent and he is seen as one of the best upcoming defensive midfielders in the game. Hopefully, he can be a great player for Real Madrid in the years to come.

Read: Why is Aurelien Tchouameni’s signing important for Real Madrid?