Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly pushing Real Madrid to re-sign Manchester United defender Raphael Varane this winter following a serious knee injury to David Alaba.
According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, Los Blancos’ boss Carlo Ancelotti would be open to a reunion with French centre-back Raphael Varane in the upcoming January transfer window amidst a full-blown defensive injury crisis.
For the first time in a long while, Real Madrid appear to be seriously considering dipping into the January transfer market to find defensive reinforcement. With Eder Militao out until at least February and David Alaba ruled out for the rest of the season, both with ACL injuries, it leaves them with Antonio Rudiger and Nacho Fernandez as their only fit centre-back options.
The Merengues initially seemed to be opposed to the idea, with Aurelien Tchouameni also able to play as a makeshift centre-back when required. But with Carlo Ancelotti pressing hard, they have started scouring for potential alternatives, and one of those options that has been bandied about is that of Manchester United star Varane.
The French international spent ten years at the Bernabeu from 2011 to 2021, winning a whopping 18 trophies, including four Champions League titles, before joining Manchester United for €40 million in 2021.
He has played 77 matches for the Red Devils and has won the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford, but he has never really settled in English football, missing 38 games in the last two-and-a-half years through various injury problems.
Varane was completely out of favour under manager Erik ten Hag for several weeks and did not start a Premier League match for nearly three months between early October and mid-December, but his situation has recently changed with the injuries to Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire forcing Ten Hag’s hand.
He started the 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and followed it up with a man of the match showing against Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League. The World Cup winner was world-class, producing a stunning 15 clearances and winning 100 percent of his aerial duels.
Ancelotti’s willingness to bring Varane back to the club stems from the fact that he’s looking for a player who can come in and slot easily in his system, and the Frenchman fits the profile.
Rated at €25 million by Transfermarkt, Varane’s contract at Old Trafford expires in the summer of 2024. United hold an option for an extra 12 months. If they don’t plan to re-sign Varane beyond 2025, a winter sale next month makes sense to recoup most of their initial investment.
However, it’s likely Ten Hag would demand a suitable replacement before giving the green light on Varane’s January exit, with Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo among their primary defensive targets.
