Manchester United are reportedly expected to place a formal offer for the transfer of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane this week.
Still, one potential obstacle in the deal is that the Red Devils remain reluctant to meet Varane’s current asking price of £50million, according to the Daily Mail.
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The France international has just a year remaining on his current contract with Madrid, so Man Utd may well feel they can get that price tag down a little.
The Premier League giants could do well not to mess Real around, however, as £50m for a player of Varane’s calibre would surely still represent very good business.
The 28-year-old is one of the finest centre-backs in Europe, having had a superb career at the Bernabeu with over 300 appearances and a host of major trophy wins, including four Champions League titles.
Varane is also a World Cup winner with the French national team, and that kind of winning know-how could be useful at Old Trafford, where Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is yet to win any silverware.
United surely need to improve in defence next season if they are to close the gap on Manchester City, with Varane likely to be an upgrade on the likes of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly.
United fans will hope there can be a positive update on this saga soon if the Mail’s report of an imminent bid proves accurate.
Yeah coz we need a centre half who is capable of commernding and controlling the defence at large