Carlo Ancelotti may have just handed Manchester United a transfer boost with the Real Madrid boss insisting that there will be no new centre-half at the Santiago Bernabeu during the January transfer window.
Many of the defenders reportedly on Manchester United’s radar have also been linked pretty heavily with Real Madrid of late. See Giorgio Scalvini, Antonio Silva of Benfica and, most specifically, Sporting Lisbon’s Goncalo Inacio.
So when David Alaba become the second Los Blancos centre-back to tear his ACL – joining Eder Militao on the sidelines – it looked as if Man United’s January had just got a whole lot tougher.
The comments Ancelotti made just two days into the window, then, may have been music to Man United’s ears, the veteran boss confirming that neither Inacio, Scalvini nor Silva are currently under consideration by the Spanish giants.
Real Madrid leave Man United free for Goncalo Inacio
“At the moment, we are not considering signing a centre-back (despite the fact) we are missing two important centre-backs,” Ancelotti says, via The Athletic.
“We have two others in whom we have a lot of confidence. (Aurelien) Tchouameni and Dani Carvajal can do well in an emergency.
“I repeat; yes, we are not going to sign (a centre-back).”
Of the three, Inacio is the player who has been linked most frequently with a mid-season departure, Fabrizio Romano telling GiveMeSport that United have frequently sent scouts to watch the Portugal international in action.
United’s January spending limited
The existence of a £52 million release clause in his Sporting Lisbon contract means Man United could potentially do a deal without needing to gear themselves up for weeks of hard-nosed negotiations, though the FFP-impeded Red Devils will likely have to raise funds first before they can even consider investing such a sum in a centre-half this month.
Donny van de Beek has already departed, albeit on an initial loan deal. Jadon Sancho could return to Borussia Dortmund, though probably on a similar arrangement. Former Real Madrid team-mates Casemiro and Raphael Varane, then, may represent United’s best hope of freeing up funds here and now, with both players courting interest from Saudi Arabia.
No Real move for Varane
It should go without saying then that if Manchester United do cash in on Raphael Varane, it won’t be to his former club Real Madrid, after Ancelotti’s comments.
A possible Varane to Real reunion had been discussed on ESPN, with the defender unlikely to land a contract extension at Manchester United. However, for this transfer window at least, it won’t be happening.
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