Happy with this one.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57967166
Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane is near to joining Manchester United for an initial fee of around £34m.
Final details are still to be agreed - but Varane, 28, had told Real he had no wish to extend his current contract, which has a year to run.
The deal for Varane is likely to reach £50m with add-ons.
It is set to follow Jadon Sancho's move to Old Trafford from Borussia Dortmund for £73m, which was confirmed last Friday.
That signing took United's net summer spending beyond any of their major European rivals.
United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made strengthening the centre of his side's defence a priority this summer once an agreement had been struck for England winger Sancho.
Varane joined Real in 2011 from French club Lens and has a wealth of experience, winning three La Liga titles and four Champions League titles while in Spain.
He won the World Cup with France in 2018, has won 79 caps and played in all four games at Euro 2020 as they reached the last 16.
BBC reporting Varane fee agreed
posted on 27/7/21
£42m for one of the top 10 CB's (arguably top 5) on earth is staggeringly good business from us. It feels so unusual for us to do a deal like this.
posted on 27/7/21
Because of the fee, I have a bad feeling about this.
posted on 27/7/21
Maguire was £80m, slowly but surely we’re all forgetting the fee.
If he is an improvement on Lindelof and Bailly, he’s worth it.
posted on 27/7/21
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
Because of the fee, I have a bad feeling about this.
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The fee is in no an indication of his ability though. It's surely down to his contract situation
posted on 27/7/21
comment by Glazers_Out (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 20 minutes ago
comment by CurrentlyStuckIntheUK (U11181)
posted 1 hour, 5 minutes ago
Because of the fee, I have a bad feeling about this.
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The fee is in no an indication of his ability though. It's surely down to his contract situation
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Yes, just a year left and no intention of signing a new deal. Still a good fee.
And as Glazers_Out says, he is certainly one of the top 10 CBs in the world. When you take a look at the top CB listings on various media outlets, he is actually usually in the top 5 and the stats back that up. I don't watch enough foreign football to really give a judgement on that, but general consensus seems to be that he is in the top 5 CBs. That'll do for me. Looks like a good foil for Maguire.
posted on 27/7/21
Like others here I don't watch him enough to say anything based on observation of his game worth listening to. However, in addition to the stats and pedigree, I'm quite encouraged by what I've read about him since he has been linked with us. He's said to be unusually self-critical and constantly working on flaws in his game. He seems to be very grounded. He has apparently been studying footage of United's defence to understand the system and how he could improve it. And various reports from the start have claimed he has insisted consistently that he wants to join only United. He speaks English. I think he'll be committed, serious, and another leader in the team.
posted on 27/7/21
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
Like others here I don't watch him enough to say anything based on observation of his game worth listening to. However, in addition to the stats and pedigree, I'm quite encouraged by what I've read about him since he has been linked with us. He's said to be unusually self-critical and constantly working on flaws in his game. He seems to be very grounded. He has apparently been studying footage of United's defence to understand the system and how he could improve it. And various reports from the start have claimed he has insisted consistently that he wants to join only United. He speaks English. I think he'll be committed, serious, and another leader in the team.
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Promising to hear that RR, I do think he’ll help in the leadership/experienced sense.
Where have you read or heard that?
posted on 27/7/21
Will Varane be able to help AWB elevate his game similar to how Shaw and Maguire? I'm curious if the impact of a CB can also help the FBs
posted on 27/7/21
Telles out until September. Hope Shaw is fit and ready for the first game.
posted on 27/7/21
comment by Michael. (U1170)
posted 2 hours, 11 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 hours, 8 minutes ago
Like others here I don't watch him enough to say anything based on observation of his game worth listening to. However, in addition to the stats and pedigree, I'm quite encouraged by what I've read about him since he has been linked with us. He's said to be unusually self-critical and constantly working on flaws in his game. He seems to be very grounded. He has apparently been studying footage of United's defence to understand the system and how he could improve it. And various reports from the start have claimed he has insisted consistently that he wants to join only United. He speaks English. I think he'll be committed, serious, and another leader in the team.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Promising to hear that RR, I do think he’ll help in the leadership/experienced sense.
Where have you read or heard that?
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The article mentioning studying clips of United's defence was in the MEN. Other facts / insights picked up here and there.