Ligue 1 club president discusses possible transfer for ex-Man Utd defender
The 31-year-old is looking for a new club after his departure from Old Trafford.
President of Lens Joseph Oughourlian has played down talk of a move for Raphael Varane this summer.
The 31-year-old departed Manchester United at the end of the 2023/24 season and is on the lookout for a new club. Varane began his career with his hometown club Lens before moving to Real Madrid in 2011.
The centre-back went on to win four Champions League titles during his 10-year spell in the Spanish capital, before his departure to Old Trafford. The Frenchman played 95 times for United and his exit this summer is the first of what is expected to be a busy transfer window.
With Varane now looking for a new club, he didn’t exactly distance himself from rumours of a return to Lens and said ‘everything is possible’ when asked about re-signing for the French club.
But that’s news to Oughourlian. "I don't have this information that the deal is advanced. I don't recognise what a lot of articles are saying,” the Lens president said in a press conference on Monday.
“For an investment like that, someone would probably have consulted me. For the fan that I am, it's my dream. For the president, there is no negotiation, we will have to see the financial elements.”
Varane would likely command a significant wage should he sign for Lens. Indeed, his salary was a significant factor in United allowing the 2018 World Cup winner to leave for free this summer. His consistent injury were another reason, with the defender missing 15 matches this campaign due to a variety of knocks and niggles.