Manchester United ready to pay £40m for French defender

Manchester United are prepared to pay around £40m to land the signature of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid this summer.

The Frenchman has been with the Spanish champions for nearly a decade, but he appears set to leave them at the end of the season.

He has less than 14 months remaining on his contract with the club, and talks over an extension have reportedly broken down.

Varane has been a long-term target for the Red Devils, and they previously failed to sign him on two occasions in 2011 and 2019.

They are prepared to try again this summer, and they will look to tempt Los Blancos with a bid of around £40 million, The Mirror claims.

The Madrid giants have already landed a replacement in David Alaba on a free transfer, but they could look to sign another centre-back.

Sergio Ramos' future with the club remains uncertain. He has yet to commit to a new contract, and could leave on a free transfer next month.