Raphael Varane has remained tight-lipped on where his future may lie amid interest from Manchester United.
It's set to be a hectic summer for United, with the need for reinforcements made even more pressing following the Europa League final defeat to Villarreal.
As well as a right-winger and defensive-midfielder, a new centre-back to partner Harry Maguire is high on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's wishlist and Varane has emerged as the top target.
The Manchester Evening News understands that United have opened exploratory talks with the Frenchman's representatives as he considers his future at Real Madrid.
Varane has enjoyed a trophy-laden decade in the Spanish capital but, with just a year remaining on his contract, has turned down a new deal, despite being offered the captaincy, as he believes there is a disparity between his salary offer and what his best-paid teammates are earning.
It's understood that Florentino Perez would rather sell the 28-year-old this summer than lose him on a free the next and would be prepared to sell to United for around £60million.
While with the France national team ahead of Euro 2020, Varane was asked about his future but remained coy on what the future holds and insisted his focus was solely on this summer's tournament.
Do you want Raphael Varane at Old Trafford next season? Let us know in the comments below
“ This is not the time to talk about my future, I am focused on the selection, on this Euro, it is normal and logical to ask the question and for my part it is normal and logical to focus on the upcoming deadlines," Varane said.
“We are all human beings. We can think about it. As for my personal case, I am focused on the objectives that we have in the France team, it is not a subject that I will discuss every day in my room at Clairefontaine.
“I am focused on my goal, and now is not the time to discuss it. If I have to talk about it, it will be directly with the people concerned.”
