Real Madrid star Raphael Varane has put an end to speculations surrounding his future at the club, as he revealed that he will remain with the Merengues.
In an interview with Spanish publication MARCA, World Cup winner Raphael Varane has claimed that he will continue playing for Real Madrid next season, putting an end to widespread speculations surrounding his future at the Spanish capital outfit.
Varane has been with Real Madrid since 2011, when he joined from French outfit Lens and has gone on to establish himself as one of the best defenders in the game. The 26-year-old has won four UEFA Champions League trophies and two La Liga titles, while he also went on to add a World Cup winners’ medal last summer with France.
The rumour mill had been abuzz with speculations over his future at Real Madrid, with reports claiming that Varane was seeking a new challenge and would be looking for a new club at the end of the 2018-19 season. This had led to widespread interest from a number of big clubs across Europe.
Serie A champions Juventus were reportedly plotting a swoop for Varane as they looked to refresh an ageing backline ahead of the next season, while Premier League giants Manchester United were also strongly interested in securing the Frenchman’s services as they sought to fix a leaky defence that had struggled heavily in the past season.
Real Madrid, on their part, had no interest in letting go of their defensive mainstay and had made it clear that the only way any club would be able to sign him was by meeting his release clause which stands at a mammoth €500 million.
Manager Zinedine Zidane too had stated that his compatriot remains a key part of his plans moving forward, after he returned to Real Madrid in March, following the sacking of Santiago Solari.
And now, Varane has quashed all the rumours of a transfer, claiming that he will be a Real Madrid player next season and is looking forward to bouncing back after what has been an underwhelming season on a personal note as well as from the team’s perspective.
Speaking to MARCA, the French international said: “I’m going to continue here next year. I’m sure we’re going to relive strong emotions. We have fought and we have tried hard, we can not blame anything, but it is true that we missed that spark in the difficult moments. I have not been to my best level but we will see the best Varane again.”
Varane featured 43 times in all competitions for Real Madrid in the 2018-19 season, contributing with 2 goals. The Frenchman was well below his usual standards, much like the entire squad and now that he has confirmed he will be staying at the club, will be hoping to rediscover his best form next season.
