{"id":548366,"date":"2020-04-04T07:44:04","date_gmt":"2020-04-04T11:44:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonfootball.com\/?p=548366"},"modified":"2020-04-04T07:44:04","modified_gmt":"2020-04-04T11:44:04","slug":"report-manchester-city-set-to-be-rebuffed-in-attempt-to-sign-raphael-varane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2020\/04\/04\/report-manchester-city-set-to-be-rebuffed-in-attempt-to-sign-raphael-varane\/","title":{"rendered":"REPORT: Manchester City Set to Be Rebuffed in Attempt to Sign Raphael Varane"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to Mark Taylor of the Daily Star<\/a>, Real Madrid<\/a> will turn down any approach made by Manchester City<\/a> for defender Raphael Varane<\/a> this summer.<\/p>\n

Manchester City Interest in Raphael Varane Set to Be Rebuffed<\/h2>\n

Desperate to Fix Issues in Defence<\/h3>\n

Pep Guardiola is desperate to fix his side’s issue in defence with the addition of a new centre-back in the next transfer window.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard has spent much of the season using midfielder Fernandinho<\/a> in defence. Aymeric Laporte<\/a> has spent much of the season sidelined through injury, while John Stones<\/a> and Nicolas Otamendi<\/a> are gradually falling out of favour.<\/p>\n

As a result, Guardiola is keen to rebuild his defence in order for his side to challenge Liverpool<\/a> for the title in the 2020\/2021 season.<\/p>\n

Varane would undoubtedly help strengthen Manchester City’s defence. The Frenchman is a mainstay in the Madrid defence, and has already accumulated over 300 appearances for Los Blancos.<\/p>\n

Unlikely to Leave<\/h3>\n

However, it appears unlikely that Zinedidne Zidane will allow the 26-year-old to leave.<\/p>\n

Varane is a popular figure in the dressing room at the Santiago Bernabeu. According to the report, Zidane believes that the defender can emulate the success of fellow centre-back Sergio Ramos<\/a>, and take over as captain of the club.<\/p>\n

34-year-old Ramos is edging closer towards retirement. As a result, the club are lining up potential replacements to take over as captain.<\/p>\n

Potential Departure in Attack?<\/h3>\n

According to Calciomercato<\/a>, Manchester City could lose striker Gabriel Jesus<\/a> in the summer transfer window.<\/p>\n

Juventus<\/a> are reportedly keen to sign the Brazilian forward. However, the move could see winger Douglas Costa<\/a> move in the opposite direction.<\/p>\n

Costa was part of Pep Guardiola’s side that won the Bundesliga in his last season with Bayern Munich<\/a>. The Brazilian scored seven goals and registered 12 assists in all competitions with the German club during the 2015\/16 campaign.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>