Bayern Munich didn't want Raphael Varane in 2011

Raphaël Varane might have become a Bayern Munich player before signing for Real Madrid in June 2011, if the Germans had not turned him down. Willy Sagnol, the former Bayern defender (00-09), who became a scout in 2011 for the club in French territory, revealed that the club were offered Varane that year but in the end decided he was too young and expensive.

Sagnol revealed what happened on Fussball Transfes. "One day a friend called me and told me that I should see a super interesting young player. When I passed it all to Bayern they told me he was too expensive for a youngster at 18. Two months later, Varane signed for Madrid for 10m euros."

Varane had played his first campaign for Lens and ended up joining Real, after being recommended by his current coach and then assessor for the club, Zinedine Zidane.