With their summer transfer window target Jadon Sancho now officially in the fold, Manchester United are working towards addressing their top positional need. The void United must fill is at centre back, and the target is Real Madrid man Raphael Varane, who has been strongly linked with Old Trafford this silly season.
It appears that things are escalating quickly now, as United are reportedly finalizing a €50 million deal, according to both ESPN and Telefoot 1.
Varane featured for reigning World Cup champion France, who were just eliminated from Euro 2020 this week.
According to ESPN FC “United are ready to move for the 28-year-old after receiving encouragement that Madrid are prepared to negotiate a realistic fee for the player.” With the central defender having just one year left on his deal, Madrid know all too well that this is their last chance to get anything in return for a Varane departure.
In January, the Frenchman will be free to negotiate for a free transfer with foreign clubs. Both Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain are said to be keen as well, but a move to the capital of his native land seems rather unlikely, given the news surrounding his partner in central defense.
Sergio Ramos already said his goodbyes from the Bernabeu last month, and he is now reportedly set to join PSG on a free.
Ramos’ new deal will keep him at PSG until 2023, and as Madrid will now have to revamp their first choice central defense pairing, it’s doubtful the Ligue 1 powerhouse would reunite the duo in the city of light. It looks like more a matter of when than if in regards to Raphael Varane joining United.
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.