Transfers: Manchester United Found Replacement For Raphael Varane

Manchester United appears to have identified their replacement for Raphael Varane.

The Frenchman made his move to Old Trafford from Real Madrid back in 2021 for a reported fee of £41 million.

Varane has been a regular presence in the lineup when fit, amassing 79 appearances across various competitions for the Red Devils and netting two goals.

However, recent matches have seen United manager Erik ten Hag leaning toward players like Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans instead

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Last week, it was reported that United have made the decision not to trigger the automatic one-year extension in Varane’s contract.

With his current deal set to expire at the end of the 23/24 season, Varane can now negotiate a pre-contract with clubs abroad.

Now, it has been reported that United have identified their replacement for Varane.

Man Utd ready to spend €50m on Italian wonderkid wanted by Real Madrid

According to Italian news outlet Tuttosport, via Football Italia, United are targeting Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini.

The 20-year-old, who was named Italy’s Golden Boy in 2023 has become one of the most promising players in the country. This season, Scalvini has nailed down a regular starting spot under manager Gian Piero Gasperini.

So far in the 23/24 campaign, the defender has made 20 appearances in Serie A, scoring once.

It is believed that United are strongly international in the Italian but Atalanta are reluctant to part ways with Scalvini during the January window.

The report states that Old Trafford club view Scalvini as a potential replacement for Varane, who is believed to be dreaming of making an emotional return to Madrid.

However, it has been claimed that Manchester United could be forced to look elsewhere if Varane leaves during the January window as Scalvini is expected to play for Atalanta for the remainder of the 23/24 campaign.

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Bayern make opening bid for Man Utd outcast, Raphael Varane

Bayern Munich are set to make an opening bid for Man Utd outcast Raphael Varane.

That is according to Spanish newspaper Sport, who report that Bayern are prepared to pay up to €20 million for the defender.

Bayern will sign a centre back in January as they will lose Kim Min-jae to the Asian Cup, while they are also without fellow defender Noussair Mazraoui at the Africa Cup of Nations.

United value Varane at €15-20m and are unlikely to stand in the way of him leaving.

The World Cup winner has lost his place in the United first team and is not valued highly by manager Erik ten Hag.

He has fallen so far down the centre back order that Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw have all been preferred to him as Harry Maguire’s centre back partner for most of this season.

Lisandro Martinez, currently injured, is Ten Hag’s untouchable when fit in the centre of defence.

The Daily Telegraph reported recently that there is a “strained relationship” between Varane and Ten Hag after the Dutchman dropped the centre back.

What did Ten Hag say?

Ten Hag rejected these reports of a fall-out: “Absolutely not. As I said, it is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry [Maguire] and Jonny [Evans] did well,” Ten Hag said.

“What I said last year, Harry [Maguire] didn’t play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha [Varane]’s performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition.”

Ten Hag appeared to suggest that Varane and Maguire are not an ideal partnership.

“There are moments in certain games where they [Maguire and Varane] can play together and they have already proven they can do it,” he said.

“But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position,” explained Ten Hag.

This would suggest that Ten Hag will generally pick either Maguire or Varane, and not both, although they did start together against Bayern in the Champions League.

Varane also has interest from Saudi Arabia in the form of Al-Nassr where his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo plays.