Yeah thought he was a couple years older too. Be surprised if it's not Saudi though still considering his injury record and the fact he's retired from international football.
Raphael Varane to leave United
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik (@Rood) was joined by comedian Ali Woods to look back at the best and worst moments of a rollercoaster season with the annual United Hour Awards.
Has Ten Hag been sacked yet? We're not sure and we hope not, but it's looking more likely as the days pass.
Who should replace him and why is it taking so long to make a decision?
MLS?
Good defender, very injury prone.
Which probably made them rethink their whole transfer strategy? I can't remember them signing any other aging star since then for huge money? I can only think of free signings like Alaba and Rudiger. A lot of their big money signings since then has been younger players.
Maybe know what you're talking about before posting crap. They offered him a new contract and said they'd make him captain to keep him.
Love the guy. Will miss him. All the best to you and to your family Raphael !
Not a surprise, and overall a disappointment of a signing to me, due to how unreliable he was fitness wise.
The right decision for all parties. I think he's largely been good for us since joining but the injury problems have been too big of an issue. Availability is the most important quality and unfortunately he hasn't been available enough for us.
Great player, terribly injury prone. Good decision.
He's far too young for that role! Silva was 35 when we signed him.Don't Chelsea need an experienced head to replace Silva?
I do think Chelsea need a leader to replace Silva but I really don't think Varane is that. Also our medical centre doesn't have the space for another sicknote.
Ole to appear out of nowhere giggling and asking "Same as La Liga? same tempo?"
And so it begins..
He'll go back to madrid and play 50 games a season.
I like Varane but was somewhat underwhelmed by his time here.
I like Varane but was somewhat underwhelmed by his time here.
Classy player that I've admired for years and years. Shame to see him go, but it's the right call considering his injuries and salary.
I thought we signed him on a 4 year deal in 2021? Or was it 3+1 and we're not triggering the final year?
Class guy, great player but I guess it's a good time for him to go and get the bag.
I'd be surprised if he goes to Saudi though, he retired from international football to prolong his club career.
I do have to laugh all the accountants in this thread 'saving money' for the Glazers and our other billionaire owners. Unless we bring in two good Cabs for him, it's all for nothing.
I'd be surprised if he goes to Saudi though, he retired from international football to prolong his club career.
I do have to laugh all the accountants in this thread 'saving money' for the Glazers and our other billionaire owners. Unless we bring in two good Cabs for him, it's all for nothing.
We’re not triggering his extra year then. That’s £300k + a week off the wage bill next year already then!
Should have sold him in January. Appreciate the service but he's no Rio.
Shame we couldn't have seen him in his prime. Probably needed someone of his ilk here when Rio/Vidic were winding down.
A legend of football. An unsuccessful signing here unfortunately. Wish him all the best. Delete Real Madrid's phone number.
I didn't know his future was linked with Ten Hag's. But I agree, if we intended to keep any of them, Varane would be the first choice but I think we are looking to move on all of them. We already tried to sell Maguire last season and although he performed well this season, if we get some good money for him we will let him go. Evans will probably retire. I think he only signed a 1-year contract last year and I don't see any rumours about us extending it.
Loved watching him at full fitness. Shame we didn't get to see much of the Varane/Martinez partnership.
Thought he was mostly class when he played, but didn't he only play less than 50% of the games?
I think the INEOS era United will be moving away from this type of signing in future and hoping to develop players into world class talents ourselves
I think the INEOS era United will be moving away from this type of signing in future and hoping to develop players into world class talents ourselves
If he can stay fit, Varane on a free is a really good transfer and someone who your young CB's can learn a lot from. But that's a very big if.
Great player and nice guy but Im still pissed off. Played 30 plus games in Madrid and comes here and drops 20's appearances in the league. Everyone goes on about his age but he's younger than Van Dijk and no one wants to send him off to the scrap yard. Why cant any player we buy just perform. I guess Im more mad at circumstances since its not his fault for injuries but he's still been a failure
He was a good defender but he's so incredibly injury prone you just can't rely on him.
Giving him a new contract would have been a terrible decision so I'm glad he's off.
Giving him a new contract would have been a terrible decision so I'm glad he's off.
Indeed. Chelsea would be insane to gamble on another injury prone player, especially one who would want monster wages.
Bit of a silly signing in hindsight but a top player in his pomp. Seemed a good guy from the outside but not a surprise.
As I said, there were reports quite some time agao he was only interested in extending if the manager changes. He was injury prone as he couldn't play at the weekend and midweek, if we're down to one game a week, he'd be bloody fantastic. to replace him you still have to spend £30m+ and their wages, so renewing for 2 more years at £300k would still be cheaper - not that I think we would pay him £300k if we're not in CL and would have to be heavily performance based if it was.
It was just reports, so may not be true, but with the lack of noise about Ten Hag leaving, this just seems convenient. I agree with both on Maguire and Evans, so I think that make it more likely we were trying to extend his contract. We can't be buying 3+ CBs in the summer.
Not yet. If Arda Guler'e career trajectory is any where close to like Odegaards where he just doesn't get game time there, I'll gladly take him at United.
What a day this was, just before twatting Leeds yet again
Always a class act and an ultimate professional. Still remember his introduction at OT, gave me chills. We were robbed off another season of Varane and Martinez. What a duo
Nice bloke but simply too injury prone to perform for us. A less demanding league beckons. Merci Raphael.
Good riddance. Another expensive over the hill permacrock out the door.
I genuinely think we should offer Evans another year and keep Kambwala and sign two cb’s so we can sell Lindelof and Maguire as well.
I genuinely think we should offer Evans another year and keep Kambwala and sign two cb’s so we can sell Lindelof and Maguire as well.
Right decision for all parties. He’s a good guy, he clearly wanted it to work, but he’s too expensive for how often he plays and I suspect we’ve already seen the best of him.
No need to rewrite history, it was a good move, shame it didn't work out due to injuries.
Pretty much. He's still a good player - nowhere near his peak - but he's just far too injury prone.
Class player, unfortunately injury prone & joined a terrible team.
World class player when fit. Sadly that just hasn't been enough of the time. Good decision to let him go.
sad part is we signed him when he should have been in his prime.... Classy player and sadly we got the injured/past-his-best version of him.
Lesson: don't sign ageing stars who have won it all on the biggest stages - when you're supposed to be rebuilding.