Real Madrid have different transfer plan for defender, keen to raise funds

Manchester United's hope of landing Raphael Varane for a cut price deal is looking unlikely, with Real Madrid holding out for at least £80 million for the French defender. The Red Devils' offer to swap the four-time Champions League winner with Paul Pogba moving in the other direction has also been rebuffed.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate to bring in a top quality center-back to partner Harry Maguire at the back for United and had made Varane his top target. United had an initial bid of £50 million rejected by the La Liga giants and it is unclear if they will return with a new offer.

According to Spanish publication AS, United are ready to part with Pogba this summer, with the midfielder also entering the final year of his contract. The Premier League club have offered to do a direct swap between the two France internationals, but Real are keen for it to be a cash deal rather than a player exchange.

Real have been on the trail of Pogba for a number of years. They failed in 2016 when Pogba chose United when he moved from Juventus and again a couple of years later following the return of Zinedine Zidane as manager.

While they could be interested in Pogba, Real have other targets like Paris Saint-Germain sensation Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland. The Madrid-based club have also been hit hard financially during the ongoing pandemic and are keen to raise funds to ensure they can land their top targets.

However, Real's reluctance to part with Varane for a fee lower than their valuation is not the only problem United will face to sign the Frenchman. According to Marca, PSG have also entered the race to sign the defender and have made enquiries about his availability.

Varane has declined to sign a new deal with Real and with his contract expiring next summer, they are ready to cash in. The Ligue 1 club is thought to be his first preference but the Spanish giants are likely to welcome a bidding war between PSG and United to ensure they get the best deal possible.