After what feels like the longest transfer saga in football history, Manchester United have finally, finally reached an agreement to sign French centre-back Raphael Varane from Real Madrid.
It’s a deal that has been a decade in the making; Sir Alex Ferguson had been keen to sign a then-18-year-old Varane from RC Lens in 2011 before United were pipped to his signature by Los Blancos and plumped for Phil Jones instead…
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All’s well that ends well, though.
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We have agreed a deal in principle for the transfer of @RaphaelVarane to United! ?⚪️⚫️#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 27, 2021
Inevitably, the good folk of Twitter were quick to point to the, er, protracted nature of this particular transfer following the customary social media announcement, reminiscing about some of those other long-rumoured deals that never actually came to pass.
ANNOUNCE GAITAN
— Si Lloyd (@SmnLlyd5) July 27, 2021
But for the most part, following some fairly questionable transfer business since Sir Alex left the club in 2013 and with the fee rumoured to be around £43m, the Red Devils’ faithful seemed pretty chuffed.
Raphael Varane is a Man United player
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— Aidan Walsh ? (@AidanWalshMUFC) July 27, 2021
Football is not real man. It’s all fugazi fam, we really signed Varane? pic.twitter.com/8VWiocm34l
— Steve Arnott (@LaPiochey) July 27, 2021
Ole Gunnar Solskjær – Manager
Darren Fletcher – Technical Director
John Murtough – Football DirectorJadon Sancho – £73m (five equal payments over five years, £14.5m a year)
Raphael Varane – £34m
This. Is. Different.
— Suhail (@SuhailChowdhary) July 27, 2021
4 time Champions League winner Raphael Varane joins Manchester United and takes the number 4 shirt to lead Man United to number 4. Written in the stars.
— Trey (@UTDTrey) July 27, 2021
Knew Varane was a real one when he rustled Simeone after being a colossal on his UCL Final debut at 21. What a player pic.twitter.com/J8BTMYDl1B
— Ryan. (@Rygista) July 27, 2021
Back in Madrid, it was all pretty emotional and lovely as Los Blancos bade farewell to one of their favourite sons, who leaves the Bernabeu with a frankly ridiculous trophy haul.
Gracias, @raphaelvarane.
? 4x @ChampionsLeague
? 4x Club World Cup
? 3x UEFA Super Cup
? 3x @LaLigaEN
? 1x Copa del Rey
?? 3x Spanish Super Cup#HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/BgQu8WjTTl— Real Madrid C.F. ???? (@realmadriden) July 27, 2021
Well, that’s at official level at least. The fans did not seem best pleased that Varane had been allowed to follow club legend Sergio Ramos through the exit door, with David Alaba Real’s only signing so far this summer.
Real Madrid at the moment with Perez pic.twitter.com/Hm4yuTK1s9
— 3zoz | #Madrid . (@Exi3z) July 27, 2021
Buy kounde ans Mbappé we need new players
— Haalandinho ⚔️? (@Falloutour10) July 27, 2021
If that’s anything to go by, Man Utd have seemingly had the better of this deal.
I’m still struggling to believe Raphael Varane will now wear Manchester United’s red shirt.
UNBELIEVABLE.
— UtdFaithfuls (@UtdFaithfuls) July 27, 2021
