According to Telefoot, as cited by Express, Paris Saint-Germain are interested in the services of Raphael Varane. It is believed that the French champions are demanding the centre-back, along with Vinicius Junior and some additional cash in exchange for selling Neymar to Real Madrid.
Los Merengues have already revealed their stance regarding the future of Junior at the Bernabeu. But, should Zinedine Zidane look to offload Varane in favour of signing Neymar?
Varane’s success at Real Madrid
A product of the RC Lens youth academy in France, Varane made a move to Real Madrid in 2011. Back then, he was touted as one of the country’s best defensive prodigies, with the player arriving at Santiago Bernabeu for a fee of €10 million.
However, it wasn’t until the 2014/15 campaign when the Frenchman truly became a first-team regular at the club. He featured in 27 league matches during the corresponding season.
During his ongoing eight-year spell with Los Blancos, Varane has made 277 competitive appearances with the club, winning four Champions League trophies, two Spanish league titles and one Spanish cup. He also played a crucial role in France’s World Cup-winning campaign last summer. Hence, the 26-year-old is undoubtedly one of the most successful centre-backs playing in Europe right now.
Does Varane have a future at Real Madrid?
Following the signing of Militao, one could argue that Varane could face additional competition for a place in the starting lineup this season. The young Brazilian is regarded as one of the most exciting centre-backs in Europe, and he would undoubtedly strengthen the Madrid backline.
But, at the same time, his addition to the club is unlikely to reduce the importance of Varane in the team, especially with Sergio Ramos nearing the end of his career. The Spaniard is already 33 and presumably has two more seasons at best before he hangs up his boots, which could make Varane the number one defender for the Whites.
Should Real Madrid let go of the Frenchman in favour of Neymar?
Swapping Varane for Neymar would be a bad idea from Real Madrid’s perspective, given the fact that the Frenchman’s departure will create a massive void in the defensive department. It also means that they will need to quickly sign an able replacement, which could be difficult as the transfer market draws near to a close.
Let us not even get into the fact that the former European champs will also have to offload Vinicius, who could potentially become the face of the Real Madrid attack in the years to come.
