Liverpool are reportedly holding talks with the representative of Real Madrid superstar Raphael Varane, who is a transfer target for Manchester United as well.
According to a report from the Manchester Evening News, Liverpool are holding dialogues with the entourage of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane over the possibility of a summer move. The Frenchman is also a target for arch-rivals Manchester United.
Varane has been with Real Madrid since 2011 and has grown into one of the best centre-backs in the game currently over the past decade, winning every possible trophy along the way with the Merengues. The 28-year-old also lifted the 2018 FIFA World Cup with the France national team, further augmenting his status as a world-class defender.
Heading into the summer transfer window, though, Varane is facing an uncertain future at Real Madrid. The Frenchman is entering the final year of his contract with Los Blancos and is understood to be seeking a new challenge in his career, leading to interest from a host of clubs across Europe, including Liverpool and Manchester United.
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Manchester United have been looking to bolster their centre-back department heading into the summer and the need to do so could not have been any more evident than it was during their 4-2 loss to Liverpool earlier in the week. Without captain Harry Maguire on the field, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof struggled all game long.
And given their injury issues in the recent past coupled with the uncertainty surrounding Axel Tuanzebe’s situation, it goes without saying that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer & co. need a new world-class centre-half, with Varane emerging as one of the top candidates that the club is looking at. In fact, it was even claimed that Manchester United are readying a £40 million offer for the Frenchman, having held exploratory talks over a possible transfer.
However, it seems like the 20-time English champions are not alone in the race to land the World Cup winner as Liverpool are also quite keen on signing and are holding talks with the Real Madrid mainstay’s camp to assess the possibility of a move. The Reds had their Premier League title defence derailed because of the number of injuries in the defensive department.
While Liverpool did recruit Ben Davies in January, he is yet to play a single minute of football whereas Ozan Kabak is only on a loan deal which may or may not be made permanent. Given Joel Matip’s long, well-known tryst with injuries it would only bode well for Jurgen Klopp & co. to sign at least one, if not two, centre-backs.
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Liverpool are already said to be closing in on the capture of RB Leipzig centre-back Ibrahima Konate. But he too has had various injury issues over the past couple of seasons and with there being the likelihood of someone of Varane’s quality becoming available, it only makes sense for the outgoing Premier League champions to push for the Frenchman’s signing.
Real Madrid, for their part, would be willing to part ways with Varane for an offer of around £60 million. It now remains to be seen if either of Liverpool or Manchester United match that valuation in the summer.
