After many ifs and buts throughout the summer, Raphael Varane was finally unveiled as a Manchester United player before yesterday’s 5-1 defeat of Leeds United.
The 28-year-old walked out on the Old Trafford pitch with his new red strip to the delight of 75,000 fans in attendance. It was the first capacity crowd at the Theatre of Dreams since March 2020.
Varane will wear the No.19 shirt at Manchester United, a number he also wore in his teenage years at Real Madrid before moving on to eventually become their No.5.
Phil Jones refused to give up the number four that Raphael Varane requested #mufchttps://t.co/2cgZlnM2tS
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) August 14, 2021
Read more: Photo: Cristiano Ronaldo comments on Raphael Varane transfer
The 2018 World Cup winner wears No.4 for France and according to the Manchester Evening News, Varane had requested the number at United but was rebuffed by the current occupant.
It’s claimed that Phil Jones ‘refused’ to vacant his No.4 shirt, despite not making a single appearance for the club since early 2020.
Varane is said to have requested a ‘traditional’ centre-back’s number but with all single-digit numbers occupied, the former Real Madrid star ended up with No.19.
How can a player refuse to give up a squad number?
Is Jones the manager?
Pathetic, Solskjaer show some man management and sought this out, I haven’t heard anything like it.
Jones is not in the first team any more what’s is problem. what do the other players think of him.
Is only manager have the right to correct a number ok