Club will not ‘consider listening to any kind of offer’ from Man City this summer – Player considered ‘invaluable’ by manager

Manchester City are likely to receive a strong rejection from Real Madrid if they attempt to sign defender Raphaël Varane this summer.

City are expected to be on the hunt for a new central defender to partner Aymeric Laporte, having struggled in that position this season.

Varane is one of several names to have been linked, with several reports in England indicating Pep Guardiola is a big fan of the Frenchman.

However, according to Defensa Central, the club will not ‘consider listening to any kind of offer’ for their player this summer.

The website explains that manager Zinedine Zidane is Varane’s ‘main supporter’ at the club having advocated his signing when he was still a youngster at Lens in France.

He believes that Varane can be the ‘natural heir’ to Sergio Ramos at the club when the Spaniard retires while the club’s senior officials believe he will be a future captain at the Bernabeu.

Sources have told the site that Zizou has confessed he will leave the club before Varane does so.

He sees him as ‘invaluable’ and regardless of how much Manchester City knock at the door for him, he is not for sale.

The Spanish side are even working on getting him signed up to a new deal.

The message is clear; regardless of what Manchester City may offer, Madrid will not even contemplate a sale, meaning Guardiola and his team would do well to focus their efforts elsewhere.