French defender Raphael Varane announced that he would be leaving Manchester United at the end of the current season. The 31-year-old will depart the club as a free agent with several clubs lined up to acquire his services already. He has played 93 games for the Red Devils and his stint has helped them win the Carabao Cup in 2023.
Varane posted a video on his social media, where he announced his exit from the club in the summer. “To you guys, supporters of Manchester United, it’s been an amazing few years to play for this special club and wearing that shirt. The first time I went to Old Trafford as a Man United player it was insane, the atmosphere was amazing. I fell in love with the club and the fans. You have to play for Man United to understand what that represents.” said the defender in his video to the fans.
With Raphael Varane leaving the club as a free agent, United will have to replace him as he was an integral part of the backline. Despite facing injuries throughout his time at the club, the 31-year-old delivered every time he was on the pitch. His partnership with Lisandro Martinez, helped the team keep the most clean sheets in the Premier League last season. The duo have started just five games together this season and this has led to United conceding 56 goals this season.
Who are the other players that could leave Manchester United in the summer?
Some big decisions are expected to be made at Manchester United in the summer. The manager’s position is certainly at risk as the team has failed to make any considerable progress in the league. They are in the FA Cup Final, but their opponents there are a Manchester City side that are cruising at the moment.
Along with the manager, INEOS is expected to offload a few players from the current Manchester United squad. While Raphael Varane has already announced his departure, the likes of Anthony Martial, Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Rashford could follow. While there are no confirmations, these are the players that have been linked with moves away from the club.
Manchester United will be looking for a fresh start and they will need to get rid of some of their players, to bring some quality to the team. One position where they will be actively in the market is the CB. Having already announced Varane’s exit, the team could also lose Jonny Evans and Lindelof, leaving only Maguire and Martinez as their experienced CBs. They have been linked with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite and Juventus’, who are both having incredible seasons.
They will also be looking at recruitment in attack as the current quarter sometimes displays underwhelming performances, which hurts their chances of winning games. The club started their era of change with renowned additions to the management structure. However, the summer transfer window is their chance to make changes to their squad and help it get close to winning trophies.
