It’s “here we go” time now for Raphael Varane, Manchester United and Real Madrid. Sky Italy reported that personal terms and a transfer fee have now been agreed upon.
United are set to pay an initial €41 million for the central defender with another €8.2m to be sent over in add-ons. The Spanish giants have also agreed to cover a solidarity payment due to the Frenchman’s previous club, Lens. United have made a formal announcement:
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We have agreed a deal in principle for the transfer of @RaphaelVarane to United! ?????#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 27, 2021
While it is “official,” it’s still not “officially official” yet though in that there are still some finishing touches that need to be completed on this deal.
Varane, 28, still needs to pass his medical, and then we’ll get his public “unveiling,” or whatever the kids are calling it these days.
The center back, who has been linked with United for several weeks this summer, will sign a four-year contract with the club option of an additional season.
The MUFC statement reads: “Manchester United is delighted to announce the club has reached agreement with Real Madrid for the transfer of French international defender and World Cup winner, Raphael Varane, subject to a medical and to player terms being finalised.”
For Madrid, there are getting a handsome sum of money considering that if he left next summer, they’d get nothing in return.
For United, they are improving their biggest position of need, and have now cemented themselves as having a top three back line in the Premier League. Does this addition make United legitimate title contenders now? Maybe.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.