Rohan Sengupta
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has made a demand to the board to splash the cash on Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane in summer, according to reports.
Defender Marcos Rojo has had an injury-hit career at United since joining the club from Sporting Lisbon in 2014. The Argentine’s start-stop career has hindered his progress at Old Trafford and Mourinho is planning to get rid of him, with Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in the player.
If United do sell Rojo after the end of this season, they will need a high-quality replacement as Mourinho plans to invest heavily in defence. The United manager has identified Raphael Varane, who Real Madrid are willing to sell in the summer, reports the Don Balon.
AC Milan defender Leonardo Bonucci has been linked with a big-money move to Real and that could prompt the La Liga giants to sell the Frenchman.
Real are currently in the middle of an underwhelming season that has seen them fall mightily short of Barcelona’s class this campaign. They trail Barcelona by a staggering 17 points and it remains a herculean task for the European champions to overhaul their arch-rivals.
In the midst of a poor season, Varane has managed to clock 16 appearances in the league and remains a central figure for manager Zinedine Zidane.
However, as the report claims Real are ready to sell Varane in summer, Mourinho seems to be interested in the French defender. The Portuguese manager signed Varane from Lens when he was in charge of Real Madrid and knows the player in and out.
Varane would solidify United’s defence which has looked a tad shaky at times this season. The Red Devils signed Victor Lindelof from Benfica last summer but the Swede has found it difficult to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.
Lindelof has managed 10 league appearances so far this season but continues to be a peripheral figure at Old Trafford.
In addition to Lindelof, Mourinho also has Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and Daley Blind at his disposal. Bailly, who has been injured for most parts of this campaign, has just returned, while Blind continues to be overlooked and could leave the club at the end of the season.
Smalling and Jones have been the preferred defenders in United’s central defence but the duo has struggled in recent times. The defensive frailties have led Mourinho to start planning to sign a top defender in the summer and it looks like he has identified the 24-year-old Varane as the one to solve his defensive woes.
