Manchester United will be bidding farewell to Raphael Varane this summer, after it was announced that the Frenchman will be leaving Old Trafford.
Varane's arrival in the summer of 2021 brought much excitement for Red Devils supporters, and it's easy to see why when you look at his CV up to that point.
The centre-back won four Champions League titles during his decade with Real Madrid and he played every minute as France took home the World Cup from Russia in 2018.
However, his three seasons at United have marred by injuries, and he has only lined out 93 times for the club with three matches left in the current campaign. Still, he showed his class on plenty of occasions, and has a Carabao Cup medal as a keepsake from his time in Manchester.
Reports identify potential Raphael Varane replacement
Just hours after Varane's imminent departure was confirmed, reports began to circulate about a potential replacement and Sky Sports state that United have their eye Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo.
The Manchester-born defender came through the academy at Man City and made eight senior appearances under Pep Guardiola, although none of those came in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old has since gone on to become a regular for Fulham, helping them to an immediate return to the Premier League following their relegation in 2021, and is now a key player for Marco Silva's side at Craven Cottage.
Adarabioyo will be a free agent in the summer, a factor which is likely to appeal to Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS ownership at United, and his wages are unlikely to be anywhere near the €300,000+ wage that Varane reportedly took home every week.
Pressure’s not in the vocab.
Through to the semi final! ⚽️💫 pic.twitter.com/QvzSP1FEj6— Tosin Adarabioyo (@TosinAdarabioyo) December 19, 2023
Fernandes could follow Varane through the exit door
While a decent Premier League player, the potential signing is unlikely to get United fans too excited, but the fact that he is a Manchester lad may help them warm to him.
These are tough times at United, with reports also suggesting that Bruno Fernandes could be heading for the exit door, meaning that there could be a serious dearth of senior, reliable figures in the dressing room next season.
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