World Cup 2018 scouting report: Raphael Varane could be perfect remedy to Manchester United’s defensive headache

Varane enjoyed his best form under Jose Mourinho - is it time to revisit that relationship

In a game where France were expected to dominate against Australia, they didn’t quite live up to their billing, but they also never panicked – a sentence that can be used to describe the career of Raphael Varane so far.

The Frenchman has four Champions League titles to his name but has never quite reached the potential he was expected to have when he was an 18-year-old leaving Lens for the bright lights of the Spanish capital. He battled with Pepe for a starting spot for the first half of his career at the Bernabeu before becoming Sergio Ramos’ not-so-dastardly side-kick on a full-time basis.

Manchester United have long held an interest in Varane, with his best time at Real coming when Jose Mourinho was manager, and the two clubs keep an open line so they can let each other know when players are available. Varane is one of the names that is always brought up and, interestingly, he is never off the table.

The Old Trafford club are looking for alternatives for another centre-half after initial enquiries for Tottenham Hotspur’s Toby Alderweireld ran into complications – partly due to the Belgian’s high wage demands.

That has again turned the club’s mind back to Varane and the open dialogue they have with Real. There are a number of cross-over interests – most recently the potential sale of Anthony Martial – to entice Real into possible negotiations.

With Mourinho losing trust in Eric Bailly, and still not convinced with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, Varane could be the player to add a bit of class and composure to the United defence – as well as the type of experience that is so rarely available for player of only 25.

Samuel Umtiti’s moment of madness to give Australia a penalty was a sharp contradiction to the cool display put in by Varane throughout. In the first half alone, he won 100 per cent of his duels while making six interceptions and two key passes. While statistics can be easily misread, these would be pleasant reading for United’s coaching staff in a Monday morning review.

Varane has all the talent to be your classic Roll Royce central defender, but perhaps he needs the right driver. Perhaps that driver is at Manchester United.