Real Madrid defender arrives in Manchester for medical ahead of transfer confirmation

Former Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has arrived in England, where he will undergo a period of quarantine as a safeguard during the novel coronavirus pandemic. Once cleared, he will undergo a medical exam before he can officially be unveiled as a Manchester United player.

The Premier League side had earlier confirmed that they have agreed to sign the Frenchman from the La Liga giants. Real Madrid had initially wanted the defender to extend his contract, owing to the fact that they had already lost centre-back Sergio Ramos earlier this summer.

However, Varane refused an extension, and Real Madrid decided against letting him run down the remaining year of his contract. Instead of losing him for free next summer, Los Blancos decided to cash in. The Red Devils swooped in on the opportunity, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pleased to have found a partner for captain Harry Maguire at the back.

Real Madrid are set to earn in the vicinity of £43million from the transfer, with the results of the medical being the final step towards completing the deal. According to Manchester Evening News, the transfer will likely be completed by Wednesday next week. By that time, quarantine will be over, he would have passed his medical, and his contract would be signed.

The club's fans are hoping that the World Cup winning Frenchman can be available for their season-opening match against Leeds on August 14. That will be pushing things to the limit, with the player barely having time to train properly with his new teammates. While he will likely be fit, the lack of training with the squad may hinder his quick introduction into the starting lineup.

The delay is partly because Varane had taken an extended holiday this summer, after France went deep into the competition in the European Championship. He also took his time getting his affairs in order in Madrid, where he was seen visiting the training ground and saying goodbye to his former teammates and club president Florentino Perez.

Varane is expected to join Manchester United on a four-year deal, with an option to extend for another year.