Raphael Varane refused to discuss his Real Madrid future on Thursday after a week of speculation that he is looking for a move away from the club.

Reports earlier in the week suggested Varane was ready for a fresh challenge after eight seasons at Madrid which have seen him become one of the world’s best defenders at the age of 25. He was the only defender to finish in the top 10 of last year’s Ballon d’Or voting after a 2018 which saw him do a rare double of winning the Champions League and World Cup in the same year.

The return of Zinedine Zidane, Varane’s childhood idol, to the Madrid manager’s post, has been a welcome change for the defender and the entire squad after a difficult season but even that may not be enough to keep the centre-back at the club.

Speaking to Le Parisien ahead of France’s Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Iceland, Varane refused to quell the speculation, saying simply that he prefers not talking about his future publicly.

“I do not want to talk about my future,” Varane said.

“I am not one to discuss my future publicly.”