Liverpool are interested in bringing Real Madrid centre-back Raphael Varane to Anfield this summer, according to reports coming out of Spain. Varane’s contract is up at the end of the 2021/22 season, and there are serious doubts that the Frenchman will stay at the Bernabeu.
The long-term injury to Virgil van Dijk has revealed Liverpool’s lack of depth at centre-back, and the signing of Varane, who is valued at £70m, would clearly strengthen the squad in that area – Varane is a better player than any Liverpool central defender other than Van Dijk; Varane and VVD would make a particularly classy pairing.
Man Utd have also shown an interest in Varane, not for the first time, and PSG would also be keen on prising the 27-year-old World Cup winner away from Spain.
Real want to keep him, apparently, but if Varane wants a new challenge, they would be open to cashing in on him whilst he is still worth a big sum.
It’s amazing to me that Varane is still only 27, and a reminder of how good he was from such a young age. That’s the same age as Harry Maguire, and a couple of years younger than Van Dijk, yet it feels like he has been around forever.