Cristiano Ronaldo has already given approval for Man Utd signing Raphael Varane

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Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo has already given his approval of incoming defender Raphael Varane after swooning over the Frenchman during their time together at Real Madrid.

The pair made a total of 199 appearances in the same team at the Santiago Bernabeu during seven seasons as teammates, in which time they won a total of 15 trophies.

This includes four Champions League triumphs and two Spanish League titles before Ronaldo departed the club for Juventus in the summer of 2018.

Varane is now also set to depart Real after finalising personal terms and a £34million fee with £8million worth of add-ons was agreed between United and Real Madrid.

Portuguese forward Ronaldo gave his approval of a then 20-year-old Varane way back in 2013, just two years into the Frenchman's time in Madrid.

He told AS that "Varane is now learning a lot. He has grown as a player and as a man. He is quick, he has good composure and he is very calm.

"He is accumulating experience at his young age . He is humble and, for me, in a few years will be one of the best central defenders in the world." stated Ronaldo, "I have no doubt about it."

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Since these comments, Varane has gone on to win 17 trophies for both club and country including the World Cup in Russia in 2018, France's second global triumph.

At the time, Varane had made just 48 of his 360 Los Blancos appearances having moved to the club in 2011 from boyhood club Lens for a fee of £10million.

He was signed by Jose Mourinho, having been close to a move to Manchester United before then Real sporting director Zinedine Zidane stepped in and convinced him to move to Spain.

10 years on and with his contract expiring at the end of the upcoming season, United have pounced to sign the 28-year-old after being linked with him on a number of occasions in recent seasons.

Varane is now set to arrive in Manchester and undergo his United medical after he has completed a period of quarantine in line with Covid guidelines.

He will become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's third signing of the summer after the arrivals of Tom Heaton from Aston Villa and Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

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  • Cristiano Ronaldo
  • Premier League
  • Manchester United FC

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