Raphael Varane is the “best defender on the planet” according to ex-Manchester United and England centre-half Rio Ferdinand.
The French international is coming off the back of a year where he won both the Champions League with Real Madrid and the World Cup. Varane had been linked with a move to Manchester United after the Red Devils failed to sign Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld but look to have been priced out of a move.
It is clear that Mourinho is targeting improvement in that area, with United also linked to Harry Maguire, but any recruitment will have to wait until either January or next summer after the transfer window closed on Thursday.
And, when discussing United’s potential options, Ferdinand told BT Sport: “The likes of Raphael Varane, who has proved himself to be the best defender on the planet right now, I think he will be too far to go and get him, the amount of money.
“I don’t think Real Madrid would sell.”
Raphaël Varane has now won 16 trophies in his senior career for club & country:
Champions League
He's 25 years old. pic.twitter.com/Ti8rKLMyP1
— Squawka Football (@Squawka) July 15, 2018
If Varane is not for sale, who can fill United’s defensive hole?
Ferdinand, who made 455 appearances for the Red Devils, had expected United to have made at least one addition with Tottenham’s Toby Alderweireld the logical choice, even though the price was thought to be in the region of £60 million for the 29-year-old, but no deal materialised.
He said: “I was in favour of bringing Toby Alderweireld from Spurs.
“When playing regularly, I think he’s within the top two or three centre-halves in the country, in this league.
“I think he’s a fantastic player, he proved it again at the World Cup after not playing so many games last season.
“I thought he was a definite, he would have been my go-to choice, to be honest.”
Despite being linked with England World Cup hero Harry Maguire, Ferdinand believes that another season at Leicester would be better for the centre back.
“Maguire had a fantastic tournament,” Ferdinand added.
“I just think for his development another season at Leicester, honing his craft within the Premier League, which is a different stage, different animal to the World Cup, I think it would be best for him from a personal standpoint for him.”
Manchester United got off to a winning start when they beat Leicester City 2-1 at Old Trafford on Friday and face a trip to Brighton next Sunday.
The post Raphael Varane is the best defender on the planet, says Rio Ferdinand appeared first on Squawka News.
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