Revealed! Mourinho keen on signing Real Madrid defender

– Manchester United are exploring the possibility of signing Raphael Varane

– Mourinho is keen on signing the Frenchman to partner Smalling at center back

– Varane started juts 14 out of 34 games between December and May for Madrid

Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho is looking at the possibility of signing Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane this summer.

The Red Devils paid £25m to sign Eric Bailly from Villarreal but Mourinho is keen to add a top talent he is familiar with in Varane.

According to the Manchester Evening news, United have tried to sign Varane in the past and the Red Devils will try and tempt him to Old Trafford once again.

It was reported that Everton’s John Stones and Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci have also been identified as possible partners for Chris Smalling at the heart of the defence.

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Atletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte would be tough to sign after the Frenchman signed a new four-year contract at Athletic Bilbao this week.

The 23-year-old Varane has fallen behind Pepe in the pecking order at the Bernabeu though coach Zinedine Zidane is keen to tie down his compatriot with a new long-term contract.

But they admit Varane could be convinced to move to Old Trafford to work with his former boss Mourinho with the promise of regular first-team football.

The former Lens defender started just 14 of Real’s 34 games between December and May last season.