Chelsea monitoring Raphaël Varane’s contract situation at Real Madrid — reports

Chelsea are getting linked to centre backs left and right these days, which isn’t necessarily surprising, since the position is the one most in need of some transfer market attention in the summer. We don’t need too many signings, but we do need the right signings. (With or without Thiago Silva extending his contract.)

The latest player to have entered the Chelsea rumor mill is World Cup-winner Raphaël Varane of Real Madrid. Varane’s current contract is expiring in 2022, and some, including Marca, are getting suspicious that he wants a change of scenery.

Real are said to be preoccupied with Sergio Ramos’ contract extension at the moment, since his contract expires this summer, but do plan on starting renewal talks with Varane soon as well. However, if the 27-year-old ends up not signing a new contract, they will look to sell this year, rather than lose him for free next year.

Varane himself is seemingly in no hurry to extend his contract, and is weighing all his options first. But there is a feeling that after ten seasons at Real, he is looking for a fresh challenge. He’s won everything he possibly can with Real multiple times already.

Chelsea are said to be interested, alongside the likes of Manchester United, PSG and Juventus. Real are supposedly willing to do business at around €50m, which they would then use to fund a potential move for Kylian Mbappé.

If that all sounds like a bunch of speculation and agenting, that’s because it probably is. Chelsea had been repeatedly used in a similar manner to get Sergio Ramos better contracts at Real throughout the years, and Varane’s representatives just might be playing a similar age in their efforts to get him a higher wage than his current €6m per year.

And if not, he can come learn a few things from Thiago.