Pranav Nair
Real Madrid ready to sell Manchester United target Raphael Varane despite Sergio Ramos departure
According to the Spanish radio station, Cadena SER’s El Larguero show (h/t The Metro), Manchester United still retain hopes of landing Raphael Varane despite Real Madrid releasing Sergio Ramos.
The veteran defender was unable to reach an agreement regarding a new deal at the Santiago Bernabeu. He is now set to end his 16-year-association with the club when his contract expires at the end of June.
Ramos refused to take a 10% pay cut and was unhappy with Real’s offer of a one-year extension. He will now seek the terms he wants elsewhere, with United amongst the interested teams.
He could be followed by Varane if we have our way. The Frenchman has a little over a year left on his current deal and could potentially leave on a free transfer next year. Real for their part are keen to cash in on him this summer. Ramos’ departure has not changed their attitude regarding that.
Like Ramos, Varane has been unwilling to accept a pay cut. Real are aware that this summer is their last opportunity to land a sizeable fee for the World Cup winner. One could argue there is a sense of deja vu given how Ramos’ situation has turned out.
Unlike Ramos, Varane is still in his prime. He has a number of years to go at the top level and can become a defensive lynchpin for almost any team in the world.
The 28-year-old has several offers from the Premier League and appears to be close to a move to Manchester United. Landing him would give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a massive boost going into the 2021/22 campaign. The Red Devils believe they can land their man for around £40million.
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Unlike Varane, Ramos does not have any contract offers on the table. Now that his immediate future has been decided, it remains to be seen who make their move. It will be curious to see if United look to bring in both players this summer.
