Zinedine Zidane Gives Update on Raphael Varane Future After Dismal Defeat to Rayo Vallecano

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has said that defender Raphael Varane will stay at the club this summer despite speculation linking him with an exit, admitting that the news is the one positive to take from Los Blancos' whimpering end to the season. 

Shortly after Zidane made his return to the club in March, rumours began to surface surrounding his countryman Varane's long-term future, with the growing belief being that he wanted to move on to a new challenge.

Speaking after the feeble 1-0 defeat to Rayo Vallecano that put an exclamation point on a dreadful season that will end trophy-less, however, Zidane has said that Varane will be going nowhere.

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"The positive point of this season finale is that Varane will stay," Zidane said, via Goal.  "I've been gone for a while and now I'm back, I do not have any problems with that right now.

"The season has to end, because it's true that we have complications and there's nothing at stake. It's complicated.

"We have to think about the future and finish the last three games well."

The 26-year-old was a fixture of the Real Madrid side that won three successive Champions Leagues under Zidane between 2016-2018, and his victorious World Cup campaign with France in the summer cemented his status as one of the world's best centre-backs. 

His poor season has seen his stock lowered somewhat over the last 12 months, however, and the exit rumours proved to be a source of encouragement for both Manchester United and Juventus, who are interested in prying him away, but it now seems as if this will not be the case if the manager is to be believed.

A lot can change in the world of football, however. Zidane's quotes do suggest there is little certainty surrounding his playing squad, and with the size of overhaul that is seemingly forthcoming this summer, there are few Galacticos who will be sure of their futures come June.