Ex-Manchester United defender Wes Brown says Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane should be the club’s next primary transfer target.
According to Metro Sport, United tried to sign the Frenchman last year but Madrid refused to sanction his departure, despite a mooted £100 million deal being on the table.
The Red Devils have been in the market for defensive reinforcements for months now, with the struggles of first choice quartet Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones well documented.
Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was installed as caretaker boss after the sacking of Jose Mourinho back in December, United have looked like a more solid team all around, but the general consensus remains that a centre-back signing is of paramount importance for the club this summer.
Metro Sport reports that United’s January bids for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly were rejected, but the club are expected to chase his signature once again at the end of the season.
Wes Brown, who played at Old Trafford between 1996 and 2011, has urged his former club to instead turn their attention to Varane, who became a World Cup winner with France in 2018.
Varane
“The dream defender for United would be Rafael Varane,” Brown told your-promotional-code.co.uk – as per Metro Sport.
“He would cost a lot and it would need to be the right fit for United. It’s difficult to say as United have a lot of defenders to choose from, and Solskjaer will want players to justify their positions on the pitch.”
Solskjaer’s men are currently fifth in the Premier League, just two points behind Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot.
They are also through to the last-16 of Europe’s most prestigious competition, with a huge first-leg clash against Paris Saint Germain to look forward to next week.
United are probably only one or two players short of being the finished article and Varane certainly has the qualities to provide the team with what they’re missing at the back, perhaps working alongside Lindelof, who has improved immensely this term.
Lindelof
Brown went on to praise the Swede for his recent displays, likening him to club legend Nemanja Vidic, who enjoyed a hugely successful spell at the Theatre of Dreams between 2006 and 2014.
“Lindelof has started to understand what it takes in English football,” Brown added – as Metro Sport reports. “It was similar to Vidic adapting to the English game.
“It’s difficult and different adjusting to the league, and moving to a new country. It’s quicker and stronger in certain areas and sometimes it takes time to adjust.
“I never thought he was bad, but he’s started to understand more and take everything in, you can now see the class coming out.”