Real Madrid Defender Raphael Varane To Old Trafford

JAKARTA - Manchester United (MU) will offer 40 million pounds (around Rp800 billion) for Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane in the transfer market this summer.

United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is rumoured to want to bring Varane to Old Trafford next season to partner captain Harry Maguire.

Varane has spent the past decade with Real Madrid, but he wants to find a new challenge.

The 28-year-old defender's contract is one year away and United are confident they can take advantage of the situation to acquire Varane for £40m.

United have tried to sign Varane on several occasions in the past, but hope they can realise their wishes this summer.

Solskjaer admits United need two or three world-class players this summer to contest the title, with a central defender as his priority.

United's 4-2 defeat at home to Liverpool on Friday, 14 May, has revealed the weaknesses of central defenders Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly, with Maguire absent due to injury.

Maguire's absence has been particularly pronounced for United in their last two games, with Solskjaer's squad conceding six goals.

Maguire is currently struggling to recover in time from an ankle ligament injury ahead of the Europa League final, Solskjaer also hoping other players show leadership qualities in his absence.

"Harry has been amazing since he came to the club," Solskjaer was quoted as saying by the Mirror via Antara, Saturday, May 15. "He is more or less always present, so of course, when a player is a leader, a captain, his status, his presence will be sorely missed."

'However, we have players who can come in and this is an opportunity for everyone to take a bit of that leadership. We need to do it when he's absent."

"You can hear him in the stands when he's not playing," added the Norwegian coach.

He's important to us and everyone else has to take that responsibility now, because I'm sure in the next two games we're still not strengthened.

'Hopefully, we can get him back for the finals, but who knows? I don't know yet."