Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane in the summer.
According to a report in Sky Sports, Jose Mourinho is keen on a reunion with Raphael Varane. The Manchester United manager is set to sanction a move to bring the Real Madrid defender to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window.
Varane progressed through the ranks at Lens before subsequently moving to Real Madrid as an 18-year-old in 2011. In the six years that have followed, the Frenchman has grown by leaps and bounds, and having forged himself into a key figure in Los Blancos’ first-team setup, he is widely considered as one of Europe’s rising defensive forces.
2016/17, though, has been a mixed bag of fortunes for Varane as even though he has arguably managed to usurp Pepe at the heart of the Real Madrid defence, a spate of injuries have meant that he has been restricted to 38 appearances across all competitions for his side.
Now though, just as he looks set to become a regular fixture in Real Madrid’s defensive unit, the player could be on the move. Manchester United are interested in signing Varane this summer, with manager Jose Mourinho eyeing a reunion with the France international.
BREAKING: @ManUtd interested in signing @realmadrid defender @raphaelvarane – Sky sources. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/P9MsrlBLhc
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) June 2, 2017
The player made the switch to Santiago Bernabeu while Mourinho was in charge at Real Madrid, and played under the Portuguese for two seasons. During the same period, Varane made considerable progress to become one of the best young defenders in Europe.
Mourinho has now identified Varane as a key target for Manchester United, with a central defensive reinforcement being one of his priorities ahead of a summer in which he will look to continue rebuilding his squad.
Eric Bailly was a revelation for the Red Devils in his first season at Old Trafford, but the English duo of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling have frustrated the Manchester United boss with their fitness problems.
And while Marcos Rojo enjoyed a season of resurgence in 2016/17, a long-term knee injury will keep him sidelined for several months, thereby accentuating Mourinho’s need to bolster his central defensive options in the summer.
He is, thus, set to launch the offensive for Varane for a second season in a row, having failed to land him last summer. At 24, Varane still has his best years ahead of him and he could forge a long-term central defensive partnership with Bailly, which could set the tone for success for Manchester United for years to come.
It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid allow the player to leave this summer, with Manchester United eager to secure his services this summer.
