France early exit from EURO 2020 offers Manchester United to fast-track transfer

Manchester United could benefit from France shock exit from the Euro 2020 competition at the round of 16 stage.

Les Bleu's disappointment means one of their main transfer targets is available for negotiations as an early return for Paul Pogba, who was in scintillating form all tournament, even scoring a rare goal in their only knockout game.

Raphael Varane has recently been preoccupied with his international commitments, but will now shift his focus back to club matters earlier than anticipated. 

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is thought to be trawling the transfer market in the hopes of finding a long-term partner for current club captain Harry Maguire after his injury at the tail-end of last season exposed some fragilities within the United backline. 

In Maguire’s absence, the performances of Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly left a lot to be desired, in turn sparking the search for an upgrade to steady the ship alongside the Red Devils skipper. 

United's defensive target is now rumoured to be Varane, who is rapidly approaching the final 12 months of his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu. 

Having spent just over a decade at Los Blancos, Varane is reportedly willing to test his hand elsewhere in a new country, with United waiting in the wings. 

Chelsea had reportedly also kept tabs on Varane’s situation, but the Frenchman is seemingly in favour of a move to United should he call time on his Madrid career. 

Should United lodge an official bid for the centre-back, he is likely to set them back around £40-£45m, as Madrid, view him as one of the players that they would be willing to let go for cheaper than usual to ease their own financial burden. 

Given a deal for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jadon Sancho appears to have finally been all but confirmed, United can use France’s early exit to try and entice Varane to Manchester and prepare for the upcoming campaign with not one but two marquee signings enjoying a full pre-season.