Arsenal Transfers - 10 Dream Replacements For Thomas Vermaelen

5. Raphael Varane

Another on-the-fringes star Arsenal could target at the back this summer is Raphael Varane. The Real Madrid defender is a top class player but struggled at times last season to shift Pepe and Sergio Ramos from their centre-back positions. The 21-year-old found himself down the pecking order as such and made only 11 full appearances for the European champions in 2013-14. And now, both Chelsea and Arsenal are keen on the Frenchman, who has already been capped 11 times by his country. Strong, fast and good on the ball, Varane is in high-demand this summer and Real could be tempted to sell if they consider him surplus to requirements and an enticing-enough offer comes in. Better yet, reports suggest the starlet would come cheaply this summer, with Arsenal hoping to snap the classy centre-half up for as little as £23.5 million. With Madrid looking at signing Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez this summer, Varane would fall further still out of contention under Carlo Ancelotti and a move to the Emirates could become all the more likely.