Real Madrid want to re-sign player they sold to Manchester United to deal with injury issues - Reports
Real Madrid are reportedly interested in re-signing Raphael Varane from Manchester United. The Spanish giants are in the market for a defender following the ACL injury to David Alaba. The Austrian defender tore his ACL during a match against Villarreal on December 17.
As per a report by Christian Falk, Real Madrid have shown interest in bringing Varane back to the club. They are looking for a player who can come in and slot easily in the defense under Carlo Ancelotti, and they see the Frenchman as the ideal pick.
The Italian manager has already confirmed that they are discussing the options and will be making a decision soon. He said via The Athletic:
"We cannot say no, we (the coaching staff) have spoken with the club and we will evaluate the decision in the next few days. The (January transfer window) market ends on January 31 and we will look for the best possible solution. But for the moment, we are not in a hurry. We have all the time we need to look for the best possible solution."
When pressed to give names, Ancelotti added:
"I don't think it's the right time to name names. If there is an opportunity that is good for the club, for the squad, for the season, we will do it. I will not say if I would like to or not. We are going to make the best decision for the squad together."
Manchester United signed Varane in 2021 for a reported £42 million deal. He has played 77 matches for the Red Devils and has won the Carabao Cup at Old Trafford.
However, it's with Real Madrid that the French defender has had his longest spell in club football. He represented Los Blancos in 360 matches, across competitions. He won four Champions League, three La Liga, four FIFA Club World Cup, three UEFA Super Cup, three Supercopa de Espana, and one Copa del Rey title.
Raphael Varane's future at Manchester United in doubt amid Real Madrid interest: Reports
Former Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov spoke about Raphael Varane earlier this season and urged the Frenchman to stay at Old Trafford. He does not want the defender to leave despite Erik ten Hag preferring the likes of Jonny Evans and Harry Maguire over him.
He was talking to Betfair when he said:
"I don't want Raphael Varane to leave, he's still a good defender. Football has shown us that players like Varane and Casemiro, they’ve both come from Real Madrid and started well, but suddenly something can happen, and they get a dip in form.
"Erik ten Hag can be very strict in these scenarios, Jonny Evans is 35 years old and is still playing ahead of Varane. Ten Hag doesn't care how old you are, if you're disciplined and professional in training, you will play. Varane needs to accept this challenge."
In his first season with Manchester United, Varane played 29 matches for the team across competitions, starting in all but five. He even managed to score a goal and register an assist in them. However, the 2021-22 season also saw him struggling with several injuries, limiting his participation.
In the next season, he player for the Red Devils 34 times, starting in 20 matches. Still, he struggled with some injuries.
Apart from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich were also looking to bring in Varane in the January window, as per BILD. However, a move to the Bundesliga side is unlikely with interest from Real Madrid.