Raphael Varane

Manchester United Set to Offload Raphael Varane to Saudi Pro League Clubs Amid Contract Uncertainty

Vishal Bhawani

Manchester United are reportedly prepared to part ways with French centre-back Raphael Varane for €30 million this month, as revealed by fussball.news. The decision comes after the Red Devils chose not to activate the 12-month extension option in Varane’s current contract, leaving him free to depart at the end of the season if an agreement on reduced wages cannot be reached.

United are unwilling to risk losing Varane for nothing and is open to negotiations with Saudi Pro League sides Al-Nassr and Al-Ittihad, both expressing keen interest in securing the 30-year-old defender.

Raphael Varane yet to make a decision on his Future

Varane, currently earning £340,000 per week at Old Trafford, could be enticed by more lucrative offers from the Saudi clubs, with former Real Madrid teammates Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo already earning significant wages at Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr, respectively.

The Red Devils find Varane’s current wages challenging to justify, given his injury concerns and manager Erik ten Hag’s selection preferences, limiting him to just seven Premier League starts in the 2023-24 season. With Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans ahead of him in the pecking order before Maguire’s injury, Varane faces the prospect of returning to the bench once the English international is fit again.

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Despite the potential for a pay cut to remain at the club, Varane may not find it appealing, and Manchester United are exploring the option of a lucrative transfer to the Saudi Pro League. Varane, a former France international, has declined to activate the one-year extension in his contract, allowing him to engage in talks with foreign clubs for a summer transfer.

While Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr are keen on securing Varane’s services in the summer, the French defender has yet to show signs of entertaining an offer from Saudi Arabia. If a move this month falls through, a summer exit for Varane remains a plausible scenario, marking a significant shift in the dynamics of Manchester United’s defensive lineup.