Gullit dismisses Aurelien Tchouameni exit talk after Real Madrid training ground incident

Ruud Gullit has played down suggestions Aurelien Tchouameni could leave Real Madrid, insisting the midfielder remains part of the club’s long-term plans despite a training ground incident involving Federico Valverde this week that briefly raised tensions around the Spanish giants.

Valverde was taken to hospital with a head injury after a clash during a Real Madrid training session, an episode first reported by Spanish media on Wednesday.

The club later confirmed the Uruguayan had suffered cranioencephalic trauma, a type of brain injury that could rule him out for the remainder of the season.

However, Valverde has since clarified that no physical blow caused the injury, stating that while a disagreement occurred between teammates, such exchanges are common in football environments.

Since the incident, reports in England have linked Tchouameni with a potential summer move to Manchester United, framing it as a possible escape route amid speculation of unrest within the squad.

However, Ruud Gullit firmly rejected that narrative, arguing that such situations are part of elite football and do not lead to departures from a club of Real Madrid’s stature.

“(The fight) That’s normal. Come on. In my day, every week there was always something going on,’ Gullit told Metro via MrRaffle.com.”

“I don’t care about that – that’s a normal thing and it has to happen. You need to get rid of your frustration. In a team, you don’t need to like each other. You can dislike someone, but you have to respect them because they’re an important asset to the team. But conflict will always come. It must. Football can’t exist without conflict.”

Real Madrid have also fined the players one million euros combined after “internal procedures” have been conducted regarding both players following the incident.

The situation has inevitably intensified transfer rumours ahead of the summer window, but Gullit remains adamant that departures from the Bernabeu are rarely player-driven.