Manchester United have been linked with Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni

Manchester United-linked midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni has been fined €500,000 (£431,952.50) and apologised following his bust-up with Federico Valverde. The Real Madrid duo were said to have come to blows in the build-up to El Clasico this weekend with Barcelona on the brink of winning La Liga.

Tchouameni has been linked to join United as part of their midfield rebuild this summer with change expected at Old Trafford this summer. Brazilian midfielder Casemiro will leave the club upon the expiry of his contract and an injection of energy has been billed for the engine room at the Theatre of Dreams.

According to Ben Jacobs, United were said to have made contact with the former AS Monaco midfielders’ representatives. Tchouameni, who famously scored against England at the 2022 World Cup, faces an uncertain future at Real Madrid with the record Champions League holders potentially looking to cash in with the 26-year-old entering the final 12 months of his contract.

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But if this season was to be the Frenchman’s last, it could be shrouded in controversy after the altercation with Valverde. Financial penalties have been confirmed a day after disciplinary proceedings were opened against the pair following their disagreement during a first-team training session.

Valverde was hospitalised in the wake of the incident after hitting his head on a table, but the Uruguayan reiterated that no punches were thrown by either party.

The incident has brought Los Blancos under immense scrutiny. It came with Barcelona having the chance to win the league and achieve the feat by beating their fierce rivals – with United’s own Marcus Rashford set to pick up a league winner’s medal if they can get a positive result against their bitter rivals.

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In the wake of the substantial fines, Tchouameni issued an apology on his Instagram. He said: “What happened this week in training is unacceptable. I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school. No matter who is right or wrong, we should always look for the calmest solution to resolve a conflict.

“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club. I know the fans, the staff, my teammates, the management, everyone is deeply disappointed by the way this season has unfolded. But frustration cannot excuse everything. These incidents, even if they can happen in any dressing room, are not worthy of Real Madrid. Especially since Real Madrid is the most talked-about club in the world.

“The internet loves to invent the wildest stories for the buzz so don’t believe everything that’s being said or the false narrative. Anyway, now is no longer the time to figure out who did what, who said what, or who was right or wrong. I acknowledge the club’s sanction and I accept it.

“We remain a family, with disagreements at times, but we must always put our objectives above everything else. I have apologised to the group, and I also want to extend my apologies to all Madridistas.

“Now it is time to move forward, and all our focus is on El I Clásico and on the season ahead, to bring the club back to the top, where it belongs.”

He followed his teammate, Valverde, who will be out for up to two weeks after suffering a head injury during the incidents. It has been suggested that the Uruguayan slipped and banged his head on a table, leaving a gash on the front

“Yesterday I had an incident with a teammate during a training session. The fatigue from competition and the frustration made everything seem blown out of proportion.

“In a normal locker room, these things can happen and are usually resolved internally without it becoming all public. Clearly, someone here is spreading rumours, and with a season without titles, where Real Madrid is always under scrutiny, everything gets blown out of proportion.

“Today we had another disagreement. During the argument, I accidentally hit a table, causing a small cut on my forehead that required a routine visit to the hospital. At no point did my teammate hit me; I didn’t hit him either. I feel that my anger about the situation, frustration at seeing some of us struggling to get through the end of the season, giving it our all, pushed me to the point of arguing with a teammate.

“I wasn’t going to speak out until the end of the season. We were eliminated from the Champions League, and I kept my anger and resentment to myself.

“We’ve wasted another year, and I wasn’t in a position to be posting on social media when the only face I had to show was on the field, and I feel that’s what I did.

“That’s why I’m the one who’s most saddened and pained to be going through this situation that prevents me from playing the next match due to medical decisions.

“I always gave it my all, to the very end, and it hurts me more than anyone not to be able to do so. I am available to the club and my teammates to collaborate on any decision they deem necessary. Thank you.”