Manchester United are reportedly in advanced talks to secure the signing of Real Madrid star Raphael Varane in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from El Chiringuito TV, Real Madrid superstar Raphael Varane could be closing in on a summer transfer to Premier League giants Manchester United, with talks said to be at ‘very advanced’ stages.
Varane has been with Real Madrid since 2011 and has been one of the pillars of the success that the team has achieved over the past decade under the likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Zinedine Zidane. However, having won everything that there is to be won with the Merengues, the Frenchman seemingly has his sights set on a new challenge.
Indeed, Varane’s contract with Real Madrid runs out in the summer of 2022. And as per the aforementioned report, the reigning La Liga champions have accepted that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner will not be signing a contract renewal and resigned to losing him at the end of the season, which would represent their last chance of getting good transfer fee for his sale.
Manchester United have been long-term admirers of Varane and had tried to sign him back in the days of Sir Alex Ferguson. However, having been snubbed back then the Red Devils have decided to make another attempt at landing the 27-year-old this summer, in a move that makes a world of sense for the club.
As things stand, Manchester United have five centre-backs on their books in Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe. Among the five, Jones is not a part of the plans under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is likely to allowed to leave in the summer. Maguire and Lindelof, while solid on their day, have shown that they can be inconsistent and erratic at times.
Bailly, who has been plagued with injuries throughout his time at United, sees his contract expire in 2022 and has reservations about penning a new deal, which may force the club to cash in on him this summer. So, the addition of a new centre-back would be a step in the right direction for the 20-time English champions.
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Varane, to that end, would be the ideal signing given the experience he has accumulated and everything that he has achieved while still in his peak footballing years. And as things stand, Manchester United seem to be closing in on the capture of the World Cup winner, with El Chiringuito TV claiming that talks are in very advanced stages.
Recent reports had claimed that Real Madrid will demand a transfer fee of £60 million for Varane, which, despite the current situation due to the pandemic, should not be a major hindrance for Manchester United. If signed, Varane would be a huge coup for the Red Devils while his departure would leave a massive void in the Real Madrid backline. It now remains to be seen how this transfer saga unfolds in the coming weeks.
