Manchester United may have had a £50m offer turned down for Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane earlier this week but one prominent journalist in Spain stills regards them as favourites to sign the defender.

Speaking on his radio show ‘El Larguero’ on Spanish station CADENA SER, presenter Manu Carreno outlined the situation surrounding Varane, following confirmation of Sergio Ramos’s departure from the Bernabeu.

It had been assumed that there is a greater chance of Varane staying at Real, following Ramos’s announcement, but Carreno said that the France international is still expected to leave, with United his likeliest destination:

“If Madrid can sell Varane, they will sell him. He has one year left [on his contract], he has offers from the Premier [League], it seems that the one that is closest is Manchester United and that [just because] Ramos leaves, [it] does not imply that Varane stays.”

The Red Devils, along with Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, are thought to be the three main clubs interested in Varane, but the main obstacle to any transfer will be the player’s price tag.

Despite having just twelve months remaining on his current deal at the Spanish club, some reports suggest that Real president Florentino Perez is holding out for £80m.