Real Madrid have reportedly slapped a €500 million price tag on Raphael Varane, who is a target for Manchester United and Juventus.
According to a report by Goal, Real Madrid are going to insist Raphael Varane’s suitors meet his €500 million release clause in order to secure his services in the summer transfer window. The French centre-back is the subject of interest from Manchester United and Juventus.
Raphael Varane has come a long way since arriving at Real Madrid as a promising teenager aged 18. Nearly eight years later, the French defender has achieved everything there is to achieve in the game, with the UEFA Euro the only competition he has not won in an almost decade-long senior career.
Still only 25 and “ideally” not at his peak, having nearly 350 appearances for club and country, and just about every major trophy in his kitty is something most players are unable to boast of. Having reached such a juncture of his career, rumours have been rife about the Frenchman wanting a new challenge, which has piqued the interest of Manchester United and Juventus.
Manchester United hold a long-standing interest in Varane, with Jose Mourinho, during his reign, especially being keen on snapping up the player he brought to Real Madrid. The interest in the player has not been ended, and for good reason.
While Manchester United had begun solidly under the tutelage of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, recent showings have shown that there are some major holes at the back that need to be plugged. The need to sign a top class centre-back, in particular, is evident, making Varane a viable target who can provide the best years of his career to the Red Devils.
Juventus are also reportedly in the hunt for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, seeing as Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci are approaching the end of their best years. But, Real Madrid are unwilling to part ways with their star defender and are set to point towards his €500 million release clause if suitors are to sign him.
Los Blancos‘ desire to keep hold of Varane was recently palpable during Zinedine Zidane’s pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Valencia, where he said, “e’s a young player who has been here for 8 years and is doing well.”
“Lots of things are said from the outside, that’s life. He didn’t say anything to me, if you know something…The important thing is what the player tells me, and he’s at the best club in the world and has won a lot of things here.”
If any club does manage to shell out the eye watering sum, they would have broken the all-time transfer record, and it looks highly unlikely that either Manchester United or Juventus would be ready to pay €500 million for Varane. But, it remains to be seen if the two clubs can negotiate an agreeable sum, or if he remains at Real Madrid.
