United Wait On Varane

Manchester United will find out within the next 48 hours if their bid for Lens starlet Raphael Varane has been successful.

United have been tracking the Lens stopper for a number of months and were the first side to make a move for him this summer.

They lodged a bid of around €10million for the 18-year-old central defender, who admitted he was considering his options carefully.

Varane intimated he would like to continue playing first-team football next season, so United were set to allow him to move back to France on loan.

Real Madrid, who have also lodged a bid, were also happy for him to return as part of the deal but he also looks set to have the option to move within his homeland as Paris Saint Germain have also lodged an offer.

And it is PSG who have emerged as favourites to land his signature, despite the attention of the two European giants.

Lens president Gervais Martel confirmed that interested clubs will soon find out Varane's future.

"Given the clubs involved, it would be very hard to stop him [from moving," Martel told La Voix du Nord.

"I hope this will be finalised in the next 48 hours - I have just spent four hours on the phone, and there are many things to settle."