Manchester United would be getting a defender with 'everything' in Raphael Varane, and may find their best centre-back pairing since Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic - according to journalist Philippe Auclair.

Auclair joined The Football Show to talk all things Francocentric, not least Real Madrid defender Varane, strongly linked with a move to United.

Auclair's summary will leave Manchester United fans with that queasy anticipation that comes only with transfer prospects still overseen by Ed Woodard.

Manchester United & Varane

"He is the kind of central defender that Manchester United have been waiting for, and I think they have been hoping that the Varane and Maguire partnership as being the Vidic and Ferdinand partnership," Auclair said.

"He has got everything that a top centre-back needs, in terms of technique, his passing is superb, he's good in the air and physically strong. He's very calm, which is the first quality that every scout noticed in him, even when he was at Lens.

"Even when he was a young man, he had that about him. This Rio Ferdinand calm, when everyone is going crazy around him he still had the head on his shoulders and can make the right choice.

"He's a good tackler but he doesn't need to tackle much, which is what you like in a central defender. Also, he's right footed, so you have got Maguire on the left and Raphael Varane on the right. That makes complete sense.

"You have got Luke Shaw on the left, they are starting to look like a proper defence to me. It's not saying that Lindelof or Eric Bailly are bad defenders, just that Varane is something else."

Experience

United may be getting someone with near-unrivalled experience at the top of world football, for a relatively small price.

"As well is his experience. When you think about Varane, you have to remember he is only 28 years old. You only have to look at what he has won, between champion of Spain, Copa del Rey, four Champions Leagues, he's won the Club World Cup. He's won the World Cup with France.

"He is somebody has experienced football at the highest level, as a member of the starting XI, and an absolutely crucial part of the teams which one those titles. You are also buying this experience, this calm and this reputation.

"He is someone in the dressing room who is very much appreciated, maybe not by Florentino Perez! He can really bring something more, he is one of the top defenders.

"He might not have had the best of tournaments with France; he looked fantastic in time, and there were games where he was put in more difficulty, but that was more of a collective rather than a personal thing.

"He could bring a huge amount to the club, and they are absolutely right to move in. It's the best time, he's 28, with one year on his contract so he won't be crazily expensive, and if they can get him... they are starting to become a serious proposition in the Premier League."

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