Varane: I turned United down

Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has admitted he rejected a move to Manchester United as an 18-year-old.

The France international was wanted by then United boss Sir Alex Ferguson in 2011 but says he turned the offer down as the Reds had just signed Phil Jones from Blackburn Rovers.

“Manchester United? They had just signed Phil Jones in my position,” he told L’Equipe, before revealing he was also wanted by Paris Saint-Germain.

“PSG? The project there was unclear. The Qatari owners had only just arrived and it was all very vague.”

Varane eventually signed for Madrid after Zinedine Zidane convinced boss Jose Mourinho to sign the promising centre-back from Lens.

“My first reaction when I heard Real wanted to sign me was not ‘of course I will go’. I only made my decision when I knew the Coach wanted me to play in the first team,” he admitted.

Tags Manchester United Varane
La Liga - Club News