Manchester United have reportedly reignited their long-standing interest in Raphael Varane, and are readying a summer bid for the Real Madrid man.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Manchester United are refusing to end their long-standing interest in Raphael Varane. The Premier League heavyweights are set to go all out in pursuit of the Real Madrid defender, who could cost around £50 million in the summer transfer window.
Varane has come a long way since arriving at Real Madrid from Lens in the summer of 2011 as a prodigious teenager. While a number of injuries have restricted his development to a large extent, the player is still on his way to fulfilling his immense potential seven years later.
Now a mainstay in defence for both club and country, the Frenchman is considered by many to be among the best centre-backs in the world. But, after making over 200 appearances for Real Madrid, Varane could be on his way out of the Bernabeu, with Manchester United set to launch the offensive for him.
The Red Devils have been interested in the 24-year-old since 2011, when Sir Alex Ferguson had tried to sign him before he joined Real Madrid. Current Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, too, is an admirer of his talents, having given him his senior debut at the Bernabeu before attempting to land him at Chelsea in 2014.
Manchester United were also linked with the player last summer before he chose to stay put and later renew his deal at Real Madrid. Heading into this summer’s transfer window though, the Premier League heavyweights are desperate to sign a centre-back, and for good reason.
Eric Bailly has held the fort strongly at the heart of the Manchester United defence since his arrival in the summer of 2016. And while he did forge a solid partnership with Phil Jones, the Englishman faces an uncertain future, alongside Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof, who has struggled to settle in England.
With Mourinho visibly irked by his side’s poor defensive performance in recent weeks, Varane is just the kind of centre-back who could bolster the Manchester United backline considerably. But, there seems to be a disagreement surrounding the Real Madrid defender’s price tag.
Los Blancos are set to demand £50 million in exchange for his services in the summer. However, as per the report, Manchester United are only willing to pay around £40 million to sign him. If they intend to sign Varane though, they might have to shell out Real Madrid’s asking price, which does not seem to be too steep by current standards in the market.
Otherwise, they might have to turn their attention elsewhere in search of a central defensive reinforcement. It now remains to be seen if Manchester United can finally succeed in signing Varane, or if they end up signing someone else to bolster their backline in the summer.
