21 November 2023 , 22:55
427
0
Erik ten Hag has decided that veteran defender Raphael Varane can leave Manchester United - but not until next summer.
The France international, 30, only joined the Red Devils from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021 and quickly established himself as an influential player firstly under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then under Ten Hag. However, Varane has fallen down the pecking order in recent weeks and is now behind the likes of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.
While Varane is expected to attract interest in the January transfer window after starting just one of United's last eight matches, it's understood Ten Hag is unwilling to entertain the idea of selling the World Cup winner midway through the season.
A new report from The Sun has claimed that Ten Hag is happy for Varane to go in the summer but is not willing to weaken his side by sanctioning a January any earlier.
A source goes on to reveal that Varane's days at the club are "numbered" and that he would be open to moving to Italy or Saudi Arabia once he is officially given the green light to depart Old Trafford.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
Sky Sport Germany detailed earlier this week that Varane had been discussed internally by Bayern Munich, who were weighing up their own move for the centre-half. It's thought that Varane's significant salary - estimated to be in the region of £320,000-a-week - would complicate any move to the German champions, though.
Join the debate! Do you think Man Utd should sell Varane? Let us know here.
Erik ten Hag is willing to sell Raphael Varane at the end of the season (Manchester United via Getty Images)Interest in Varane's services comes just months after the defender hinted he would be open to a Real Madrid return. Speaking in the French edition of GQ Magazine, Varane did stress that seeing out the remainder of his career at Manchester United was "a serious option."
He did, however, go on to reveal that if that did not to fruition then he would instead look to seek a return to Real Madrid or RC Lens, his first club.
"I will finish my career either in Madrid, or in Manchester, or in Lens," Varane predicted back in March. "I will not move to another club [other than those]. 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."