The Frenchman could be on the move in the January window (Picture: Getty)
Real Madrid face competition from Bayern Munich to sign Raphael Varane next month and the German champions are ready to tempt Manchester United with an opening offer, according to reports.
The France international has emerged as a January target for old club Real, who he left in the summer of 2021, after the Spanish giants were hit by an injury crisis at the back.
Carlo Ancelotti will be without David Alaba and Eder Militao for the rest of the season, with Antonio Rudiger his only fit, senior centre-back at the moment.
The Italian coach is keen to be reunited with Varane, while the 30-year-old himself is thought to be open to a return to the Bernabeu having fallen dramatically down the pecking order at Old Trafford this season.
Although he played in Tuesday’s thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Aston Villa, Varane has started just two of United’s last 12 Premier League games since the start of October.
When Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez are available again, Varane is expected to return to the bench, while United’s lack of participation in Europe in the second half of the season will reduce his opportunities for game time even further when everyone is fit.
As such, United are thought to be open to cashing in on Varane, particularly after it emerged that his contract only runs until the summer of 2024 – not 2025 as originally announced when he signed.
Varane only has six months left on his United contract (Picture: Getty)
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Real are ready to ramp up their pursuit for their former defender with Ancelotti adamant that a new centre-back needs to be brought in.
The club had been looking at youngsters Goncalo Inacio and Giorgio Scalvini for the summer and would be prepared to bring any swoop forward, though they fear they would have to pay a premium in the middle of the season.
Varane is a cheaper solution and Ancelotti’s preferred option, particularly as he is already familiar with both the club and La Liga and would require little – if any – adaptation.
More: Trending
The problem for Real is that they are not the only club interested in Varane, with Bayern Munich also eyeing the decorated defender to ease their own injury crisis.
In addition to having a number of sidelined players, Kim Min-jae and Noussair Mazraoui will be taking part in the Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations with South Korea and Morocco respectively, leaving Thomas Tuchel very light on options across January and February.
Sporting director Christoph Freund has already confirmed that the club are looking to dip into the January market for a defender and Bayern are willing to pay around €20million (£17.3m) for Varane.
That could be enough to tempt United into selling, particularly as they will lose the Frenchman for nothing in six months’ time, but Real – who have to adhere to La Liga’s strict financial fair play rules – could struggle to match it, handing Bayern the advantage.
MORE : Manchester United monitoring PSV winger Johan Bakayoko
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Frenchman could be on the move in the January window.