Manchester United Contact Real Madrid Over $82M Defender’s Transfer Who Is Liverpool’s Target: Report

Manchester United have reportedly contacted Real Madrid over the transfer of defender Raphael Varane, who is also Liverpool FC’s target, ahead of the summer market.

Real Madrid are willing to listen to offers for Varane, who is set to enter the final year of his contract, and has been labeled with a transfer fee of around $82 million, Spanish media outlet ABC reported.

After making his senior debut at French club Lens in the 2010-11 season, Varane was roped in by Real Madrid and the ongoing campaign is the center-back's 10th season at the Santiago Bernabeu. Varane, who is contracted with Real Madrid until 2022, wanted to leave Real Madrid two summers ago. But due to his hefty release clause, no deal took place even though Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) were very much interested, according to Spanish publication OKDiario.

The same report also revealed that while Manchester United and PSG are still willing to battle out to acquire the services of Varane, the two clubs could also have competition from Liverpool.

Varane would be a great signing for both the Premier League clubs. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been looking to sign a great partner for Harry Maguire in the Red Devils’ back-line. Manchester United’s current options Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly continue to be unconvincing long-term options to partner Maguire.

Meanwhile, the ongoing campaign has been a tough one for Liverpool as they have suffered several injury woes. They have been without their first-choice center-backs Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez due to their injuries. Even though they bought two young defenders during the January transfer window, Jurgen Klopp would want to sign an established center-back at the upcoming summer market.

It has also been reported that Liverpool are close to signing RB Leipzig center-back Ibrahima Konate, who has passed the first medical tests organized by the Reds in Paris. Konate’s transfer fee, which is around $49 million at Leipzig, is very much in Liverpool’s budget.