To say Raphael Varane is disappointed at falling down the pecking order at Manchester United is underselling things. Those who know his thinking suggest his feelings stray closer to annoyance.
That is probably natural for a player who has medals from four Champions League campaigns and one World Cup hanging up at home. And aged 30, Varane is entitled to think he has a good few years left. He wants to be playing and has expressed his wishes to Erik ten Hag.
But right now, Ten Hag prefers other centre-backs. It would be no surprise if Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are once again selected ahead of Varane for the trip to Everton. Jonny Evans is out with an injury but, before misfortune struck him in Copenhagen, the 35-year-old was also in ahead of Varane.
Evans being named alongside Maguire for the Manchester derby understandably drew attention, especially when Ten Hag explained his reasoning was tactical. Evans arrived at United in the summer as a free agent looking to keep fit but has risen to prominence over the defender who earns vastly more and is five years his junior.
Part of that owes to Ten Hag’s preference for Evans on the left side of defence. Evans is right-footed but is comfortable on his left, as demonstrated by his long pass off that foot to Bruno Fernandes for the winning goal at Burnley.
On the right, Maguire has emerged as the chosen player. Ten Hag prefers Maguire on that side so passing angles are more easily opened. He is adept at switching play from right to left. Maguire seized his chance when Varane was out injured and continues to feature because of his proactive defending.
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To some close observers of United, Varane has been more tentative in that aspect this season. He seems to be slowing down from sprints more carefully, indicating a caution over his body. He does not appear as eager to push up the pitch and, on occasions, gaps have opened up between the back line and midfield.
Varane’s speed has been a key aspect of his game throughout his career at the top level but his effectiveness is diminished. Those close to Varane argue that he simply needs a run of games to get into a rhythm and in the midst of regular appearances last season, he was excellent, playing 90 minutes in wins over Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Barcelona. There was a period when he and Lisandro Martinez, who is out with a foot injury, formed arguably the Premier League’s best centre-back pairing.
Varane and Martinez were a formidable pairing last season (Manchester United via Getty Images )
But injuries have hampered Varane from maintaining those unbroken sequences. Last season, he missed 15 matches in three separate absences brought about by a combination of ankle and leg problems. This campaign, he has been sidelined for nearly a month.
During Varane’s medical ahead of signing for United in August 2021, his knees were highlighted as requiring care, prompting a reevaluation of his salary. More emphasis was subsequently placed on his bonus earnings than basic wage.
United, with Ed Woodward in charge of the purse strings, still showed their intent on bringing Varane to the club by agreeing wages close to £250,000 per week ($315,000) depending on appearances. The player, who cost £34million from Real Madrid, received a rapturous response when presented to Old Trafford ahead of the opening game of the 2021-22 season against Leeds United.
A bespoke training programme has enabled Varane to make a telling contribution to United’s performances since. He has provided a layer of elite professionalism at Carrington and shown a connection with the club’s fans, celebrating wildly after significant victories.
Varane has struggled with injuries (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Availability has been an issue, though. He played 5,031 minutes out of a possible 9,960 in all competitions in his first two campaigns — a rate of 51 per cent. Even with Martinez injured, that figure has fallen this season to 40 per cent, through a combination of injury and Ten Hag’s choices.
Following the City game, Varane was also on the bench at Fulhamand remained there until the 89th minute, even after Maguire sustained a knock to his head in the opening 60 seconds. Varane came on for Evans in the 15th minute in Copenhagen and was partly at fault as United lost 4-3 late on. Lindelof was preferred as Maguire’s partner in the 1-0 win over Luton — in which he scored — in part because he is seen as better off his left foot.
Being out of the side is frustrating Varane but he is not a disruptive presence and United still regard him as a valuable player. At present, he has shown no indication of wishing to leave, although a continuation of his place on the periphery would inevitably force him to look at his options.
The Saudi Pro League would always be interested in a player of his calibre and, should the offer on a transfer fee be significant, United are open to listening. Financial fair play regulations are a very real concern at the club, albeit those pressures could be eased if Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment is ratified and he injects capital.
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Whether Varane has the appetite to move his career to the Middle East remains to be seen. To this point, it has not been prime in his thoughts.
Bayern Munich are monitoring his situation and staying in Europe would hold more appeal, while it is felt next summer presents a better chance to appraise the situation than January.
Certainly, Ten Hag would demand a replacement should Varane go. United looked at centre-backs in the summer when it appeared Maguire’s future was elsewhere, with Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo among them, and it is hard to see how negotiations with the club Ratcliffe’s firm INEOS owns outright would be too complicated.
But Maguire stayed and has turned around his circumstances to such a degree that he is one of Ten Hag’s most important players at present. That prospect remains possible for Varane, with Ten Hag rejecting the suggestion of a fallout. “Rapha Varane, I don’t know what you’re talking about — it’s rumours,” he said to a question in his press conference on Friday about a reported disagreement.
Ten Hag underlined how Varane is competing with Maguire for the spot at right-side centre-half rather than seeing them as a partnership.
“He is a very important player but there’s internal competition — there should be at a top club — and when you decide on two players who do brilliant, Rapha Varane and Harry Maguire, then you have to make a choice for that position.”
(Top photo: Visionhaus/Getty Images)
