Man Utd fall £30m short with their first offer for France star
Man Utd are still £30m short of Real Madrid’s valuation of Raphael Varane after making their first offer, according to reports.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly made Varane one of his top two defensive targets for Man utd, seeing the Real Madrid man as the perfect partner for Harry Maguire next season.
Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sign Varane from Lens a decade ago, before Zinedine Zidane – the then sporting director of Madrid – pursuaded him to join the Spanish giants instead.
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They are also said to have come close to making a £100million bid for Varane following his displays in France’s successful 2018 World Cup campaign.
But the transfer rumours have perhaps never been as consistent as they have been this summer with a report today claiming Man Utd are ‘closest’ to signing the Real Madrid centre-back.
It is understood that Sergio Ramos’ exit this summer won’t impact on Varane, who will leave too if Real receive a satisfactory offer.
And now the Manchester Evening News claim that Man Utd have ‘made a £50million attempt to sign’ Varane but that Los Blancos are ‘holding out for £80m’.
Samuel Luckhurst writes:
‘United remain in dialogue with Madrid and will seek a compromise over the fee, but are reluctant to meet Madrid’s £80m valuation as Varane is out of contract next year.
‘Madrid are prepared to sell Varane, 28, to United and have already offset his possible departure by signing auxiliary centre-back David Alaba from Bayern Munich on a free transfer.’
Varane is currently playing a starring role for France – who beat Germany in their opening group match – at Euro 2020 and the 28-year-old’s focus will turn back to a possible transfer when he returns from international duty.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is ‘intent on obtaining a fee’ with time ticking on Varane’s contract at the Bernabeu.
Speaking in May about the possibility of Man Utd bringing in a new defender, Rio Ferdinand said: “I’m going out and buying a centre-back, Marquinhos maybe if you can go and get someone like him.
“They’re talking about Varane, I don’t know, for experience. But as long as they’ve got pace then that’s a good start.
“I’d look at somebody like Declan Rice, I’d look at someone like Sancho. These are the types of players that would improve Man United’s team.
“The manager has got big decisions to make because when he brings these players in it means people have got to sit on the bench. Big decisions but that’s what Ole is paid for.”
