Raphael Varane transfer: Bayern Munich ‘interest’, £26m Man Utd valuation & Erik ten Hag verdict

Bayern Munich have been linked with a move for Manchester United’s Raphael Varane.

The defender, who was integral to the team’s success last season, has played a less significant role this term and has fallen to fifth choice in the pecking order at the heart of defence.

It has led to suggestions that his future could lie away from Old Trafford, with Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg claiming Bayern have already discussed the possibility internally of making a bid for the Frenchman.

He added that a deal at the moment is currently ‘unrealistic because of his salary’ but claimed Varane ‘remains under observation’, with a €20-30m (£17m-£26m) permanent transfer in January an option. Plettenberg also claimed that a loan is unlikely at this stage.

Meanwhile, the Mirror reported that Bayern have identified the 30-year-old as a ‘potential option’, in January along with Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu, and that Varane could be tempted by the ‘bright lights of the Allianz’.

Whether United would be willing to let Varane leave is unclear at this stage. ManchesterWorld understand that the ex-Real Madrid centre-back was left frustrated by comments made recently by Erik ten Hag, with the United manager growing ever convinced that Varane cannot physically deal with the demands of Premier League football.

United’s no.19 has missed six matches this season through injury or illness this season and Ten Hag, somewhat surprisingly, has selected Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans ahead of Varane in recent weeks.

Explaining that decision, Ten Hag said the reason for not selecting Varane were tactical, adding that he is not suited to playing as left-sided centre-back. “There are moments in certain games where they [Harry Maguire and Varane] can play together and they have already proven they can do it,” said the Dutchman. 

“But the build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position because I think Licha [Martinez], obviously, Luke Shaw, obviously [are left-footed]. Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are right-footed, but they can play really comfortably with their left and make the right angles, then you can construct a better formation where you can start to play.”