Real Madrid Would Be Foolish to Sell Raphael Varane in January

Raphael Varane's failure to disrupt the Sergio Ramos-Pepe partnership at Real Madrid has led to quite a bold claim in the Daily Star.

Alex Harris wrote earlier this week that the French international defender could be allowed to leave the European champions for as little as £19 million when the transfer window reopens in January.

Chelsea and Varane's former boss, Jose Mourinho, would supposedly front the line of clubs wanting to sign him.

The Blues were "eager to sign Varane during the summer transfer window but were foiled as he opted to stay at the Bernabeu and sign a new six-year contract," the article continued.

Bleacher Report's Chelsea correspondent Garry Hayes rightly pointed out that it would be a steal if it was true.

But as is the case with most things that seem too good to be true, it's impossible to imagine Madrid actually letting Varane leave for £19 million.

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

He may not be first choice under Carlo Ancelotti—that honour has been bestowed upon Ramos and Pepe in the big games—but he is a 21-year-old defender who has continued to show a great deal of talent.

In the Champions League, he has started three of Madrid's four matches, coming on as a substitute in the other; his appearances in the league, where he's made just three starts, have admittedly been more fleeting.

Elsewhere, in the Copa del Rey, he starred with two goals in the recent 4-1 win over UE Cornella.

Varane may not be an undisputed starter, yet, but he has a huge role to play as Ancelotti's third choice central defender over what will be a long and testing season.

To allow him to walk away would conjure up comparisons with the way Manchester United let Paul Pogba move to Juventus—albeit, Madrid would get a fee in this scenario.

Perhaps the rumours have been born because many expected Varane to have dislodged Pepe by now.

That, though, says more about Pepe than Varane.

Mourinho famously said, when he was about to leave the manager's post at Madrid in 2013, that Pepe's problem was Varane, as reported by Marca at the time.

Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

It was therefore thought that Varane would go onto establish himself alongside Ramos.

Pepe, who turns 32 in February, has fought back, though, and has curried favour during Ancelotti's reign in the Spanish capital

Perhaps, also, the rumour has grown because of the man who tipped him to give Pepe those problems: Mourinho.

The Portuguese coach, who is now in charge of Chelsea, put a lot of faith in Varane when he was at Madrid, and it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if the young Frenchman was sweet-talked into linking up with him again in London.

It was Mourinho who was the Madrid boss when Varane signed from Lens.

Los Blancos need Varane for the present and the future, though, and talks of a cheap move to Chelsea, you have to imagine, are some way wide of the mark.