OFFICIAL: Raphael Varane will leave Manchester United as a free agent at the end of the season

Raphael Varane will not renew his contract with Manchester United and will leave the club as a free agent at the end of this season. The decision, which had already been rumored since January, becomes official, ending the French central defender’s time at Old Trafford.

Varane arrived at United in 2021 from Real Madrid for a figure close to 40 million euros, with the hope of being the leader of the ‘Red Devil’ defense. However, his time in Manchester has not been as expected.

In his three years in England, Varane has played a total of 93 games in a United shirt, 81 of them as a starter. During this time, he has managed to lift one title, the EFL Cup in the 2022/23 season under Erik ten Hag.

On an individual level, Varane has scored two goals and has only seen five yellow cards. Although he has started in most of the games in which he has not been injured, he has not reached the level that was presumed after his brilliant career at Real Madrid, where he won numerous titles, including four Champions League.

Despite not having met expectations, Varane still has the opportunity to say goodbye to United with a good taste in his mouth. Next weekend, the team faces Manchester City in the FA Cup final, a trophy that could be a finishing touch to their time at Old Trafford.

Once the season is over, Varane will join the free agent market, where he will surely have offers from several clubs. At 31 years old, the French center back still has a lot of football ahead of him and will look for a new challenge where he can once again demonstrate his worth.

Varane’s departure leaves an important vacancy in United’s defense, which will have to look for a new reference at the back for next season. Ten Hag will have the tough task of finding a replacement who is up to the challenge and who can restore solidity to the team’s defensive line.