Raphaël Varane must no longer know which foot to dance on. A strong starter last year, the French defender has gradually lost his place this season until becoming the fourth central in the mind of Erik ten Hag. Even the ghostly Jonny Evans and the plague-ridden Harry Maguire passed him by. A choice that the MU coach explained at a press conference at the end of November. “Varane? I don’t know what you’re talking about. These are rumors. He is a very important player, but there is internal competition and there should be in a top club, like ours. And even when you have two players who are doing brilliantly, like Varane and Maguire, you also have to make a choice for that position.
In the dark at Manchester United
At that time, Varane had only played 12 matches in all competitions, including 7 as a starter. It should be noted that he was injured at the start of the season and missed 4 matches. It should also be remembered that he did not necessarily perform at his best level when he was on the pitch. But Frenchy made his return to the Mancunian starting lineup during the clash against Bayern Munich in the Champions League (December 12, 1-0 defeat) and during the Premier League match against Liverpool (0-0). A meeting where the former Real Madrid player scored points as he won 100% of his duels and made 3 interceptions.
Praised by the British press for his performance, the 2018 world champion is still being talked about in the transfer window. Indeed, for several weeks now, his name has been mentioned among the undesirable players at Manchester United. The English club will listen to offers for the 30-year-old this winter. Especially since The Athletic explains that the Red Devils have every interest in letting him go since his contract does not end in June 2025 as we imagined, but in June 2024. Concretely, Varane can start discussing with non-British clubs this winter or be free at the end of the season. He can still automatically extend his lease for one season, but several conditions must be met.
A return to the White House?
This Tuesday, the Manchester Evening News reveals that the defender is considering this solution, he who impresses again. At the same time, his club does not rule out parting with it. THE Daily Mail explains that John Murtough, Manchester United’s director of football, traveled to Saudi Arabia to test the waters to sell four players, namely Jadon Sancho, Casemiro, Anthony Martial and therefore Raphaël Varane. It’s difficult for the latter to see clearly. Especially since another option could be available to him during the month of January 2024. In Spain, the Cadena COPE cites the name of the former player from Racing Club de Lens to Real Madrid.
Indeed, the Merengues have lost David Alaba, who suffers from a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The versatile Austrian defender will be absent for several months. If some Spanish media like Marca indicate that the Merengues will not recruit this winter, the COPE cites the name of Varane (30 years old, 14 appearances, 1 goal) among the targets considered. The Iberian media explains that his return to Madrid could be a good thing, especially since he knows Casa Blanca perfectly. The month of January is likely to be very lively for Raphaël Varane, who already has two interesting options (Real Madrid and Saudi Arabia).
