Mirror Football is reporting that Manchester United have won the race to sign the Lens defender Raphael Varane. The 18 year old starlet had also being targeted by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. According to the report Manchester United will pay a fee in the region of £3m for 6ft3in Varane.

Raphael Varane has won caps for the French U18 and U21 sides and also broken into the Lens first- team. He has now played 17 games for Lens and has the versatility of being able to play either as a centre back or as central defensive midfield player. Lens’ youth coach Eric Assadourian has described Varane as a “truly first class player” who is “comfortable on both the tactical and technical level.”

Varane has been earmarked for a place in Manchester United’s first-team squad next season and will put pressure on fringe defenders Jonny Evans and Wes Brown.

Arsenal manger Arsene Wenger is usually king of the transfer market in his homeland – but Ferguson seems to have slipped under the radar for Varane and is expected to have the transfer confirmed soon. In a curious development the player only recently signed a new two year contract extension on 3rd February this year.

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