Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has opened the door for either Manchester United or Chelsea to sign Raphael Varane this summer transfer window.
The France international has just over a year to run on his contract at Santiago Bernabeu and he’s intimated that he is unwilling – as it stands – to extend his deal at the club.
Madrid had valued Varane at over £100m less than two years ago and they will not allow the player to run down his deal in order to leave on a free transfer in 2022.
It means the La Liga side are willing to listen to offers for the defender this summer window, with Premier League teams Chelsea and Manchester United vying for his signature.
Madrid could also lose Sergio Ramos this summer but Perez appears in no mood to allow Varane to hold the club to ransom and he confirmed on Spanish radio that he can leave if he wants.
‘Varane? I’m happy with our team… if players don’t want to stay at Madrid they can leave,’ said Perez.
And, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to partner Harry Maguire with a faster central defender, while Thomas Tuchel is wary of his side’s overreliance on Thiago Silva, who will commit to a final 12 months at Chelsea this summer.
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Varane is reported to be open to a new challenge having spent a decade at Real but it remains to be seen what Madrid will demand for him, with a £60m asking price mooted.
Perez was the brains behind the Super League and he is not giving up hope that the proposal can go ahead, even withstanding the withdrawls of the big Premier League teams.
Real Madrid are in huge financial trouble, hence their need to listen to offers for Varane. The club have committed close to half a billion pounds in redesigning the Bernabeu, while their wage bill is currently one of the highest in Europe.
