Raphael Varane lined up by Ronaldo’s Saudi billionaires Al-Nassr

Raphael Varane lined up by Ronaldo’s Saudi billionaires Al-Nassr to end Man Utd nightmare

EXCLUSIVE: Saudi billionaires Al-Nassr are leading the race to sign want-away Manchester United defender Raphael Varane following his troubled spell at Old Trafford under Erik ten Hag

The mega-rich Saudi Pro League outfit want to reunite Varane with his former Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo.

The club is owned by Prince Faisal bin Turki, who has a net worth of almost £23billion. And he is willing to offer Varane a deal worth up to £50m-a-year to join Al-Nassr.

Varane has become disillusioned at United. He's struggled to hold down a regular starting place in Erik ten Hag's side.

United have rejected the option of triggering a 12-month extension in Varane's contract. And they are willing to let him leave in order to get him off the wage bill.

He is now free to talk to other clubs - and is expected to leave United at the end of this season. Varane, 30, became United's highest paid player when he joined them from Real Madrid in 2021 on a deal worth £340,000-a-week.

He helped United win the League Cup last season - the club's first silverware since 2017. But he has suffered injuries and a battle to maintain his most consistent form.

The World Cup winner was dropped in favour of Harry Maguire for United's 3-0 win over West Ham on Sunday. But Varane remains one of the most high-profile players in world football - and will not be short of offers come the summer.

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He won the World Cup with France in 2018, and most of his 18 major trophies at Real while playing alongside Ronaldo. It remains to be seen if Varane is willing to join Al-Nassr.

But the club believes landing someone of Varane's stature would help raise the profile of Saudi football even further - and are preparing an offer he will find hard to refuse.