Raphaël Varane | Como board member

Amazing player but he’s really struggled with injury.

We got rid of him at the right time.
 
Sad to see. Hopefully nothing too serious and he can get back to fitness soon. He's always going to need to be managed, but he's too good a player to have his final years go out on a whimper of injury after injury.

Right time for us to have moved on, especially considering wages, but I'd still like to see him do well.
 
Not a chance he'll be turning out in 5 years!
Even then why are folks acting like Saudi league is a retirement home, they've been signing young players for a while now, South American wonderkids even. They won't entertain just being a dumping ground for older washed players.
 
I guess we did let him leave at the right time after all. I'll still miss him though.
 
Even then why are folks acting like Saudi league is a retirement home, they've been signing young players for a while now, South American wonderkids even. They won't entertain just being a dumping ground for older washed players.
Saudi league is dead. Same thing happening as happened with china - massive investment initially and then very little.
 
Letting Varane go and signing Yoro + De Ligt has been the best thing INEOS has done so far

I am sure they would love to sell Casemiro as well but, alas, Saudis let us down :)

I hope they can sell several more players, like Lindelof, Mejbri, Pellistri, and maybe even McT and Sancho (I doubt it on Sancho) to fill up our budget
 
He's still a very good defender capable of outstanding performances. He was amazing in the cup final and away to Liverpool last season for example.

But as Como are now discovering, the problem is he just cannot stay fit.

Was absolutely the right decision not to give him a new contract.
 
Wow.

He didn't miss as many games as I thought he did whilst he was here, but the drop in quality was just so severe that it was a major loss. He was earning way way too much though and when a player's fitness is suspect you've got to be lowering the base wage and adding some performance related bonuses.

Any reports about what they're paying him there?
 
Shame! Seems like a class guy and think he genuinely loved playing for united.
 
How? He has been like this since forever and we wasted 3 years on him despite knowing that.
But at least we made a good decision to let him go this summer.
 
But at least we made a good decision to let him go this summer.

I love the guy but I don't think we should've signed him in the first place. Real Madrid got the best version of him for years and sold at the right time. Same with Casemiro
 


Such a shame. There are also other rumours floating around that they are considering to terminate his contract.
 
Very unfortunate. He’s been vocal a few times about the long term impact football has had on his body. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him just call it a day at this point
 
He did well to play as much as he did for us looking at it. We never had him at his best though let’s be real.
 
Very unfortunate. He’s been vocal a few times about the long term impact football has had on his body. Wouldn’t be surprised to see him just call it a day at this point

Wasn't that only related to heading in football and its long-term implications on players' brains?
 
Wasn't that only related to heading in football and its long-term implications on players' brains?
Specifically about himself, though. He admitted he has done long term damage to his own body, admitting he missed a few games last season due to concussion because he can’t take the rattling of the ball from all those headers anymore. He also tweeted back in August 23 about the frantic match schedules and how that’s affecting players mental and physical well-being.
 
One of best defenders I’ve watched and there are lot of them. His highest level was on par with Nesta and Ferdinand. Shame with his injuries.
 
Such a shame. He should retire if it is concussion related. He has won it all, mostly at Real Madrid & France but especially the Carabou and FA cup :lol:
 
It's a real shame to see such a classy player reduced to this. I think he could make a good manager though.
 
Specifically about himself, though. He admitted he has done long term damage to his own body, admitting he missed a few games last season due to concussion because he can’t take the rattling of the ball from all those headers anymore. He also tweeted back in August 23 about the frantic match schedules and how that’s affecting players mental and physical well-being.

Yeah, I remember the tweet too.
 
Sad to see. Varane is a likeable guy and a year out at his age won't be easy to get back from when he already has a history of injuries.