3 reasons Raphael Varane is right to stay at Real Madrid

#2 Ability to lead under Zidane and recover after poor season

Varane has made appearances under Zidane at Real and since his return, is set for much more

Real Madrid have severely underachieved this term, for sure. But a lot of that stems from their inability to adequately address Cristiano Ronaldo's departure. When you lose a player of his presence without sufficient replacements, you're always going to struggle.

That's something they learned the hard way. Crashing out to Ajax in the Champions League's last-16, out of the La Liga title picture before Christmas, this was a forgettable campaign on all fronts. Seeing former manager Zinedine Zidane make his surprise return to the helm before the season's end is sure to have softened the blow ahead of a big summer window at the Bernabeu.

They've already bought highly-rated defender Eder Militao for €50m (£43m) and Zizou has spoken glowingly about his reluctance to sell Varane, as he knows just how integral he is to their rebuild. Varane has played 108 matches and just under 9,300 minutes under his compatriot's guidance - so staying put makes sense among familiar surroundings and a philosophy he can trust.

Having experienced the dizzying heights at Real in previous years, it's not unreasonable to suggest he wants that success again in the not-too-distant future - so why not stay and help steady the ship as they aim to return with aplomb next season? After finishing 19 points behind eventual winners Barcelona in third place this term, they'll be eager to compete on all fronts and regain their Champions League crown next season.

Staying during a time of difficulty also speaks volumes for a player's character: do they leave when the going gets tough, or are they motivated to silence their critics and better their team? Given Raphael himself is a low-maintenance player, those signs are pleasing.