Raphael Varane to Man Utd: Sir Alex Ferguson transfer regret over failed 2011 approach

Man Utd: Solskjaer hopeful on Jones return date

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Sir Alex Ferguson may well finally get his wish from 10 years ago with Manchester United in the race to sign Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. Varane has little over a year left on his contract with Real with discussions said to have been ongoing for several months over an extension.

Reports in Spain had previously indicated that Real were confident of reaching an agreement with the France international.

But it appears as though negotiations have broken down with Manchester Evening News claiming they’re prepared to sell him this summer.

The centre-back was a top target for several teams when he broke through the ranks at French club Lens.

A number of sides were clamouring for Varane’s signature in the summer of 2011, including United in Sir Alex’s final few years at the club.

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The iconic former United boss was desperate to sign a centre-back that summer and he opened up in his 2015 book, Leading, on his attempt to bring Varane to Old Trafford.

He was left frustrated though as Zinedine Zidane – then the sporting director of Real Madrid – swooped in to bring him to the Bernabeu.

“I hurtled down on the train from Euston to Lille to sign the young French defender Raphael Varane,” Ferguson wrote in his book.

“David Gill was getting into the finer points of the contract with Lens when Zinedine Zidane got wind of this and somehow scooped him up for Real Madrid from under our noses.”

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Real ended up agreeing a deal worth a reported €10 million to sign Varane while United had to look elsewhere.

Sir Alex turned his attention to Phil Jones, who had impressed at Blackburn having broken through as a teenager.

United moved quickly to activate his £16m release clause but Jones’ time at Old Trafford has been beset by injuries and poor performances ever since.

Meanwhile, Varane has established himself as one of the world’s best defenders and is only just entering his prime years.

United are unlikely to be alone in being interested in signing Varane this summer should he be made available.

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made it clear to club officials that he wanted a centre-back last summer and that reportedly remains the case this year.

And with United closer than ever to challenging at the top of the Premier League for the first time since Sir Alex retired in 2013, signing Varane may be the perfect opportunity to make that step up.

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