Raphael Varane’s plan for Manchester United training as John Murtough pursues transfer

Raphael Varane shows off amazing goal scoring skills in training

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Raphael Varane wants to join Manchester United for the start of pre-season training, reports claim. The Real Madrid star is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s top defensive transfer target. And the Red Devils are hopeful he’ll join Tom Heaton and Jadon Sancho in moving to Old Trafford.

Manchester United are a big club trying to do big things this summer.

It’s already been a fruitful start to the summer transfer window for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, who have landed two players already.

Sancho was the first to be agreed, with the Red Devils forking out £73million to land the 21-year-old and bring him to the club after four years of intense interest.

And, on Friday, the club confirmed Heaton had returned to the club on a free transfer from Aston Villa.

It’s been a solid start but United want Varane to follow next, believing the France international would be the ideal partner for Harry Maguire at the back.

And ABC Sports say the defender wants his move to the club done in the next two weeks so he can start training with the Red Devils for pre season.

Whether United are able to do that remains to be seen.

But, having already agreed personal terms for the 2018 World Cup winner, it seems just a matter of time before he makes the move to Old Trafford.

United have been here before, having been used by Sergio Ramos to get a new contract when he had a year left on his deal to run.

But things seem different with Varane, who is genuinely willing to leave Real Madrid for a new challenge elsewhere.

United, if they’re successful in their pursuit, will be signing just the second player from Real Madrid since the turn of the millennium.

Angel Di Maria was the first, touching down from Los Blancos during the summer transfer window of 2014.

Yet the Argentina international spent just a year at Old Trafford before leaving for PSG, having struggled under Louis van Gaal.

United have signed four established centre-backs in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club, with all of them failing to live up to expectations.

Lindelof and Bailly have long struggled for consistency ever since their respective arrivals from Benfica and Villarreal.

In 2014, Marcos Rojo touched down but, barring a good run of form under Jose Mourinho, never looked cut out to play at the highest level.

But Maguire has been the exception, impressing since his move from Leicester two years ago.

Former United star Nicky Butt recently had his say on Varane and expressed a belief the World Cup winner would be perfect for Solskjaer’s team.

“For me, next season has to be about getting some silverware back in that trophy cabinet for Manchester United,” Butt told Ladbrokes.

“It’s about getting the right players who will allow you to challenge for trophies.

“It’s a winning club, so we can’t go this long without silverware.

“The biggest thing that needs addressing for me at Manchester United this summer is that centre-back position; we need a partner for Harry Maguire.

“It has to be someone that’s going to be compatible with Maguire.

“If you spend the kind of money you did on Harry Maguire, you then have to follow it up by bringing someone in who can play with him.

“He’s the club captain; Victor Lindelof is too similar to him. It needs to be someone with pure, blistering pace, someone who can play out from the back.

“Everyone talks about Raphael Varane. I understand he’s a little bit older than most people would perhaps like, but you just have to go back to the days of Teddy Sheringham.

“I think we bought him when he was 32, and we went and won the treble with him. If Varane is available, then I’d go all out for him.”

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