Real Madrid's need to replace Raphael Varane could play into Manchester United's hands this summer.
The French centre-half has no interest in renewing his Los Blancos contract and is poised to seek pastures new.
Madrid value Varane at somewhere between €60-€80m and United are among those keen on the defender.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is looking to add a new centre-half to play alongside Harry Maguire in the coming months.
Varane would be the ideal fit and his desire to take on a new challenge makes the switch a realistic one.
PSG could yet provide United with competition for the World Cup winner as they too look to bolster their options.
Madrid though are having to address their backline this summer with Varane looking to follow Sergio Ramos out of the Bernabeu.
The pair have been ever presents at the back for the Spanish giants for some time meaning new boss Carlo Ancelotti will have to dip into the transfer market.
Sevilla's Jules Kounde has been identified as a key target.
The centre-half has enjoyed a rapid rise and impressed for the La Liga outfit, who finished nine points behind Los Blancos last term.
Sevilla are aware of interest in the 22-year-old and have slapped a price tag on him of around €60-€80m.
Will Man Utd win the race for Varane? Have your say below.
It means Madrid could be keen to negotiate Varane's sale sooner rather than later in order to raise funds for a Kounde move.
Los Blancos do appear resigned to the defender's exit and with a replacement on their radar a swift decision could prove advantageous for United.
Ancelotti is likely to want two new centre-halves with Ramos too being moved on after his contract expired.
The Spaniard, who has become a club legend, explained that a fresh contract offer had expired meaning he had no choice but to leave.
He said: “Many things have happened. The first thing I’d like to make clear is that I never wanted to leave Real Madrid. That was always my mindset.
"We won the post-lockdown league and then the club offered me the chance to offer my contract. But, that was delayed because of situations like the pandemic.
"The club then offered me a one-year extension with a salary reduction. I want to make clear that money was never the problem.
"It was the years, because I wanted stability for my family. I wanted two years and they offered one. I repeat, the economic factor was never the reason.
"In the later recent conversations, I said I would accept [the one-year offer], but then I was told the offer wasn’t there anymore, that there had been an expiry date. I hadn’t realised.”
