Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane is expected to sign a new contract at the club which will then end speculation about his future.
The Frenchman has only one year left on his current deal at the Santiago Bernabeu, and with contract negotiations said to have stalled, there was talk that the La Liga giants could make money on the defender to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.
Manchester United are one of the clubs monitoring the situation in Varane, with the World Cup winner possibly available for a prize fee of as little as £ 40 million.
New reports have even suggested that Varane had decided on his future in Spanish captivity and that he did not intend to sign a new deal.
But Marca journalist Jose Felix Diaz (via RM4Arab) is now reporting the exact opposite with Varane, who is expected to renew his contract with Real.
The news comes just hours after Real Madrid released an official statement confirming Sergio Ramos’ departure after 16 years at the club.
Raphael Varane will sign a new deal on Real / Soccrates Images / Getty Images
Whether the two are linked is unclear, but it really seems like a big coincidence that Real would be keen to reach an agreement on a new long-term deal with one of their first-backs just hours after their second-choice midfielder’s exit was confirmed.
The news will no doubt be a bitter blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who had hoped to strengthen his defensive alternatives with the addition of Varane this summer.
The Red Devils have outlined five key areas in their group that they hope to add during the transfer market, with a center-back partner for Harry Maguire, one of the key issues.
If the news of Varane signing a new deal at Real turns out to be true, it is highly unlikely that United will continue to pursue the Frenchman and they will have to turn their attention elsewhere.
