According to the son of former West Brom manager Steve Clarke, the Baggies were close to signing France’s World Cup hero Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane has always been a defender with genuine world class potential but there have been too few performances like that on Tuesday night.
The Real Madrid centre-back is 25 years of age now but you’d be forgiven for thinking he was a few years younger than that. Varane hasn’t really developed as some had hoped in his six years at the Bernabau with naive mistakes and an over-reliance on speed still a big part of his game.
But, now and again, Varane produces a display like that against Belgium in the World Cup semi final to remind even his most vocal critics what all the fuss was about. The French centre-back was the best player on the pitch, repelling everything a star studded Belgian attack threw at them to protect a one goal lead given to Les Blues by Varane’s defensive partner Samuel Umtiti.
So just imagine if West Bromwich Albion had managed to pull off a deal to bring the former Lens wonderkid to The Hawthorns.
According to the son of former Baggies boss Steve Clarke, the four-time Champions League winner was oh-so close to sealing a short-term move to the Hawthorns. And the fans are understandably wondering what might have been.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
