Manchester United were reportedly plotting a record £100 million deadline day bid to land Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester United were willing to break the bank in order to sign Raphael Varane on deadline day of the English transfer window. The Premier League heavyweights were ready to offer £100 million – a world record for a defender – to Real Madrid for the Frenchman.
Manchester United’s desperation to sign a centre-back this summer was well documented. A number of defenders were linked with the Red Devils over the last two months, with the latest among them being Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.
For a long time though, there were three defenders who were linked the most heavily – Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld and Yerry Mina. While Maguire and Alderweireld remained at their respective clubs, Mina ended up joining Everton on deadline day. And, in the dying hours of the window, Manchester United seemingly turned their attention towards the Real Madrid star.
With none of their reported pursuits of a centre-back bearing fruit, Jose Mourinho set his sights on a long-term target – Raphael Varane. The Frenchman was initially brought to Real Madrid by the current Manchester United boss, who rates him very highly.
In addition to his remarkable defensive abilities, Varane is also a serial winner, not just with Real Madrid but with the French National Side as well, after the Russia 2018 triumph. That the 25-year-old has also shown a lot of leadership qualities is an added bonus for Mourinho, for whom he could have been a complete package.
Manchester United were ready to spend a staggering £100 million to swoop him away from Real Madrid on Thursday. The colossal figure would have broken the world record fee for a defender while also becoming a club record transfer at Old Trafford.
However, there was understandably very little time to get the deal completed, with negotiations to be concluded with Real Madrid as well as Varane. Even if Manchester United did agree terms with the player, persuading Los Blancos to sell would have been a tall order, especially in one day.
Completing a deal of such magnitude was always going to be nigh on impossible for Manchester United, who ended the summer window in frustration. Varane though, will now be focusing on continuing his winning ways at Real Madrid, having returned to the Spanish capital this week.
Manchester United were reportedly plotting a record £100 million deadline day bid to land Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
According to a report by The Sun, Manchester United were willing to break the bank in order to sign Raphael Varane on deadline day of the English transfer window. The Premier League heavyweights were ready to offer £100 million – a world record for a defender – to Real Madrid for the Frenchman.
Manchester United’s desperation to sign a centre-back this summer was well documented. A number of defenders were linked with the Red Devils over the last two months, with the latest among them being Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.
For a long time though, there were three defenders who were linked the most heavily – Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld and Yerry Mina. While Maguire and Alderweireld remained at their respective clubs, Mina ended up joining Everton on deadline day. And, in the dying hours of the window, Manchester United seemingly turned their attention towards the Real Madrid star.
With none of their reported pursuits of a centre-back bearing fruit, Jose Mourinho set his sights on a long-term target – Raphael Varane. The Frenchman was initially brought to Real Madrid by the current Manchester United boss, who rates him very highly.
In addition to his remarkable defensive abilities, Varane is also a serial winner, not just with Real Madrid but with the French National Side as well, after the Russia 2018 triumph. That the 25-year-old has also shown a lot of leadership qualities is an added bonus for Mourinho, for whom he could have been a complete package.
Manchester United were ready to spend a staggering £100 million to swoop him away from Real Madrid on Thursday. The colossal figure would have broken the world record fee for a defender while also becoming a club record transfer at Old Trafford.
However, there was understandably very little time to get the deal completed, with negotiations to be concluded with Real Madrid as well as Varane. Even if Manchester United did agree terms with the player, persuading Los Blancos to sell would have been a tall order, especially in one day.
Completing a deal of such magnitude was always going to be nigh on impossible for Manchester United, who ended the summer window in frustration. Varane though, will now be focusing on continuing his winning ways at Real Madrid, having returned to the Spanish capital this week.