Manchester United podcaster Mark Goldbridge has urged the club to complete a deal for Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane this summer.
The Mail reported during the week that United were considering a move for the World Cup winning centre-back after long-term interest.
It’s thought that Varane is ready to leave the Spanish capital at the end of the season before he enters the final year of his contract.
But Madrid have apparently slapped a £60million price tag on the 27-year-old.
United are hoping they can drive down that figure, which would make Varane the joint-fourth most expensive defender in Premier League history.
Club legend Gary Neville has previously labelled Varane ‘amazing’ and claimed he is better than Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
‘Man United will not sign Varane’
Speaking on Friday’s United Stand podcast, Goldbridge agreed that it would be a magnificent signing, but wasn’t remotely optimistic.
“The Varane deal is dubious to me,” he said. “I really hope that it’s possible.
“Man United will not sign Varane. This deal is too big for our incompetent board to do.
“He should be number one. What a signing he would be.”
United are a comfortable second in the Premier League but defensive concerns persist.
The Red Devils have shipped 34 goals in their 31 matches, more than 11th-placed Aston Villa and only one fewer than ninth-placed Arsenal.
Varane, according to the Mail’s report, fits United’s profile for an ideal Harry Maguire partner.