Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has reportedly accepted that one of his star players is on his way to Manchester United this summer.
It isn't club legend Sergio Ramos - but rather his partner at centre-back, Raphael Varane. The French World Cup winner is out of contract in 2022 and is apparently unwilling to sign an extension, meaning Real can either sell Varane in the summer or lose him for free next year.
Zidane would rather keep hold of the 27-year-old but, according to the Mirror, due to the contract situation he's reluctantly given the defender his 'blessing' to talk to Manchester United before the summer.
Varane was first linked to United way back in 2011, before he even joined Real, and the club were also interested in signing him in 2019. So he's been on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's shopping list for some time.
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The estimated value for Varane, one of the world's best central defenders, is around £70 million. But that price would come down if his contract had just 12 months to run (OkDiario report Real Madrid would slash Varane's summer asking price to £43 million, unless he signs a new deal).
Liverpool have, unsurprisingly given their injury problems in central defence, also been linked to Varane - as have Paris Saint-Germain.
However reports indicate it's Man United who currently have the inside track on landing the player.
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A world-class defender to complement captain Harry Maguire has long been at the top of the club's priorities in the transfer market. While United had a quiet January in terms of transfers, chief executive Ed Woodward claimed there would be money to spend in the summer.
"We will continue to support Ole with a planned, long-term approach to recruitment, focused on the summer windows," said Woodward.
If the transfer goes ahead in 2020, it would certainly make financial sense for Real Madrid as opposed to losing the player for free a year later.
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But - if Ramos also departs - Varane's sale would leave Zidane searching for two new top-class centre-backs going into the 2021/22 season.
All imagery: PA Images
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Manchester United, Zinedine Zidane, Raphael Varane, Real Madrid