Raphael Varane’s situation at Manchester United has raised eyebrows in recent weeks.
The 30-year-old has been omitted from Erik ten Hag’s starting line-up for the past five games, which included the Manchester derby and a crunch European clash vs Copenhagen.
Varane has fallen behind veteran centre-back Jonny Evans in the pecking order and when it was confirmed that the Northern Ireland international had been sidelined with an injury, fans expected that the four-time Champions League winner would partner the in-form Harry Maguire against Luton Town last Saturday. However, it was Victor Lindelof who was given the nod.
The former Real Madrid stalwart has struggled with fitness issues since making the switch to United, but he has undoubtedly been one of the club’s most reliable defenders in the past seasons, hence why his lack of minutes now comes as such a surprise.
Varane’s exit options
As per GQ Magazine earlier this year, Varane admitted that he could stay at United for the rest of his career – though he also has two other options in mind.
“I will finish my career either in Madrid, or in Manchester, or in Lens. I will not move to another club [other than those],” Varane claimed. “But Madrid seems complicated to me. Players don’t usually go back there. The most likely outcome today is that I will finish [my club career] in either Manchester or Lens.”
