Manchester United failed to sign Kalidou Koulibaly before turning to Raphael Varane this summer, Italian media reports.
United had one of the most successful summers this year, snapping up youngster Jadon Sancho, bringing back Cristiano Ronaldo and signing Varane from Real Madrid.
However, new reports suggest that 28-year-old centre-back Varane wasn't United's first-choice target.
According to Corriere Dello Sport, Napoli's Koulibaly was preferred to Varane who would arrive for an initial fee of £34million plus add ons.
The report claims United were prepared to offer £30million for the Senegal captain but were told it would not be enough to pry him away from Naples.
Previously, Napoli had set a £100million price tag on Koulibaly, who is one of the highest-rated defenders in the world.
And while other clubs, including Inter Milan, tried to cash in on their superstars to keep themselves afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, Napoli stuck to their price.
This meant that United instead had to settle for the younger Varane, a World Cup and four times Champions League winner.
Varane was then joined at Manchester United by his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo, whose homecoming to Old Trafford was celebrated by Red Devils supporters.
Paul Pogba, who spoke with Varane before joining, also hailed United's work in signing so many stars this summer.
Speaking to Telefoot, he said: "It's always a pleasure to play with the best.
"It's also a plus for the players to be able to train with a great player. He's going to raise the level of the team."
