Journalist Pete O'Rourke believes that Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane will join Manchester United this summer.

What's the latest transfer news involving Varane?

United were given permission to speak to Varane last week as they try to agree personal terms with the 28-year-old.

The potential transfer appears to be heading in the right direction for the Red Devils, with Fabrizio Romano recently claiming that Varane wants to move to the Premier League club, while also confirming that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer views the French international as the perfect signing for the club.

[gmsStartingEleven url="https://givemesport.starting11.co.uk/2019-07-19/"]

What did O'Rourke say about Varane's potential move to United?

O'Rourke feels that Varane's switch to United is edging closer towards being completed, and he now fully expects the deal to go through soon.

Speaking on The Football Terrace, he said: “I think it’s very, very close. A very exciting prospect for Manchester United fans that this deal’s actually happening because probably at the start of the summer, maybe May time, I don’t think anybody had any real major hope that Man United would be signing somebody like Raphael Varane.

“All eyes seemed to be on like a Pau Torres at Villarreal or even Jules Kounde but they’ve been given the indications that Varane is up for this move to Old Trafford. He is ready to leave Real Madrid after a long spell with the Spanish giants and it all comes down to agreeing a fee between Manchester United and Real Madrid.

“With the player keen to go and Man United willing to meet his personal demands, Real Madrid will have to sell him now. They can’t allow a player like Varane to run down his contract and potentially leave on a free transfer next summer or sign a pre-contract in January so I would fully expect Man United to get this deal done and Raphael Varane to be the second big-name signing after Jadon Sancho for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team this summer.”

James Maddison to Arsenal moves closer! Find out more on The Football Terrace...

What is Varane's record at Real Madrid?

As O'Rourke alludes to, Varane has spent the majority of his career at Madrid so far, having made his debut for Los Blancos a decade ago.

During his time with the club, he has won silverware on 18 occasions. This includes lifting the Champions League trophy four times in five seasons, while also triumphing in the Club World Cup in each of these years as well.

Furthermore, Varane has three league titles on his resume, and has clearly been a key figure at the club since 2011, making 360 appearances for the side in this period.

Is this the last big-name signing that United will make this summer?

Potentially.

United have also been linked with teenage midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, who looks to be a fine prospect, and Wolves' Ruben Neves. Both could be strong additions to Solskjaer's squad but neither have the star appeal of Sancho or Varane at this stage of their careers.

Still, with the Sancho and Varane deals seemingly imminent with over a month of the transfer window to go, United are showing that they are being proactive in terms of bringing in high-profile players, indicating that they want to hit the ground running in 2021/22 so that they can challenge for major honours.