ESPN pundit Steve Nicol talked up the prospect of Real Madrid signing Toby Alderweireld as a replacement for Raphael Varane this summer, but he’s not considered the fact that Varane might have to stay, let alone that Real wouldn’t pay £26m for a player they can sign for free in 12 months.
Varane is rumoured to be on his way out of Real with his agent recently hinting that the defender is looking for a new challenge after eight years at the Santiago Bernabeu. Nicol is treating this story as something that will definitely happen rather than thinking it through and coming to the realisation that it likely won’t.
As per Daily Star, he said: “100 per cent (Alderweireld’s) leaving. But the question is where’s he gonna go? I think if we look across the board at Varane leaving Real Madrid, I would not be shocked to see Alderweireld at Real Madrid.” But Nicol has ignored why Real would let Varane leave and why Alderweireld would be top of their wishlist.
The Belgian international is 30 years of age and will be able to sign a pre-contract deal with foreign clubs in January 2020. Real would still have to wait a year to have Alderweireld playing for them, but they wouldn’t pay £26m instead of waiting a number of months.
As for Varane, the Real defender still has three years left on his contract. The club will only let him leave if they see fit, so his exit is anything but guaranteed.
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