Raphael Varane

At the same time we don't need to stockpile young players with potential just because they have potential, Evans-Smalling is a very solid foundation at the back and Thorpe could be able to step up so we don't necessarily need to buy before we've made a decision on the talent already at the club.

It's like Madrid with Canales, with Ozil and Kaka ahead of him he's not getting enough game time. He gave up first team football at Santander and it might harm his development.

If we're going to bring in Varane then we're potentially stopping one of him, Evans and Smalling from developing fully and Sir Alex will be very wary of this. If he feels that there needs to be more quality added to it and one of the current options isn't quite up to it, however, he'll not hesitate to bring in another defender.

We don't often do long-term loans, most who are loaned out for a season or more don't come back.
 
Brwned said:
At the same time we don't need to stockpile young players with potential just because they have potential, Evans-Smalling is a very solid foundation at the back and Thorpe could be able to step up so we don't necessarily need to buy before we've made a decision on the talent already at the club.

It's like Madrid with Canales, with Ozil and Kaka ahead of him he's not getting enough game time. He gave up first team football at Santander and it might harm his development.

If we're going to bring in Varane then we're potentially stopping one of him, Evans and Smalling from developing fully and Sir Alex will be very wary of this. If he feels that there needs to be more quality added to it and one of the current options isn't quite up to it, however, he'll not hesitate to bring in another defender.

We don't often do long-term loans, most who are loaned out for a season or more don't come back.
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Obviously, he makes the decisions.

If it's felt Thorpe has sufficient potential then we won't be buying.
 
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AHHHH!! FM really does know all about football... ;)
& no, I'm not the United manager on it!
 
If Sir Alex does sign a central defender he of course believes him to be exceptionally talented and possibly a bigger talent than Evans.

On the basis of this season it would be hard to argue that we could have done with more quality from our fourth choice CB, whether that was Evans playing better of someone else stepping in ahead of him.
 
711 said:
Obviously, he makes the decisions.

If it's felt Thorpe has sufficient potential then we won't be buying.
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Yes but I also think if he believes Evans to be of genuine quality, a certainty for the first team for the next few years along with Smalling, then he might not even want to buy. We will need to bring in another centre back at some point but it might have to be one who's more comfortable with being a back-up than one trying to push out one of our current ones. Thorpe may come in there.
 
Why would Varane come here and accept to be 5th choice when he's on a verge of a French NT call up.

Either SAF is looking him as turning him to be a midfielder or think he's an amazing talent which shouldn't be ignored.
 
KM said:
Why would Varane come here and accept to be 5th choice when he's on a verge of a French NT call up.

Either SAF is looking him as turning him to be a midfielder or think he's an amazing talent which shouldn't be ignored.
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It would have to be this IMO. Makes sense with the amount of young talent we already have in central defence not to be signing another player to play there.
 
KM said:
Why would Varane come here and accept to be 5th choice when he's on a verge of a French NT call up.

Either SAF is looking him as turning him to be a midfielder or think he's an amazing talent which shouldn't be ignored.
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Indeed.

Most of the arguments in this thread could just as easily have been used against buying Smalling (for a surprisingly large fee). Then it seemed as if Evans, Brown and O'Shea were quite adequate as back-ups to Rio and Vidic, but Sir Alex saw Smalling as too good to miss. He was right too, wasn't he?

Time will tell, as ever, but Evans is looking premier-league quality, but not to me likely to make the world-class category (although I appreciated the fight he showed against Chelsea last). If Fergie thinks this guy will be then a bid will go in.
 
KM said:
Why would Varane come here and accept to be 5th choice when he's on a verge of a French NT call up.

Either SAF is looking him as turning him to be a midfielder or think he's an amazing talent which shouldn't be ignored.
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Why do you say that? Why would he accept to be 5th choice? You don't think he could be better than Smalling or Evans? Evans has hardly had a good season whilst this much younger lad has had a great one.

There's nothing written in stone. Hernandez is 2nd choice now. Ahead of Berbatov. Wasn't that when he was bought.
 
Well if his team is relegated he'd surely prefer a move to United having to fight for 3rd choice than be in a lower league. And with Ferdinand's injuries he might just fancy his chances.
 
It says that he should make the final decision in the coming days, and that he wants to sign for United, but has asked for some assurances that he will be given playing time.

It also suggests that he would be open to a loan move to a Ligue 1 side -- it mentions PSG -- but that Sir Alex wants him to remain at United so that he can play for the first team.
 
If we do sign Varane, who do we reckon is on the way out? Brown a distinct possibility, but it would still leave 3 back up CBs (Evans, Varane, Smalling). Though with Varane, apparently, being able to play DM as well, maybe that is where Fergie thinks he can up the amount of games he plays.

Could also see Evans becoming a backup LB (done well enough there) with Fabio becoming more of a right sided option in competition with his brother.
 
Mitch Conor said:
If we do sign Varane, who do we reckon is on the way out? Brown a distinct possibility, but it would still leave 3 back up CBs (Evans, Varane, Smalling). Though with Varane, apparently, being able to play DM as well, maybe that is where Fergie thinks he can up the amount of games he plays.

Could also see Evans becoming a backup LB (done well enough there) with Fabio becoming more of a right sided option in competition with his brother.
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Don't see Evans being a decent LB, cover now and again yes but not a back up LB.He could still have future at CB if he gets back his confidence
 
cina said:
No way is Evans leaving the club.
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I'd be surprised, but then I would also be surprised if Fergie thinks he could give Varane enough game time with Rio and Vidic pretty nailed on to start whenever fit. I would have Smalling as first choice back up. Varane would be fighting with Evans for the next spot (or pushing Smalling). Don't see how enough games can be spread around to continue the development of 3 promising centre backs.
 
Pogue Mahone said:
I wonder if SAF is thinking about converting Varane or Smalling into a holding midfielder?

Didn't work too well when he tried the same with Rio....
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Varane already plays as a holding midfielder from time to time though.

He's like a French Phil Jones in that aspect. Whether he's better or not, feck knows.
 
Has he played played for France yet, or is he still U-21level?
 
Varane is 18 years old, and have very limited experience of top level football. I would think that he looks further forward than Vidic and Ferdinand when considering and possibly taking decisions related to his future- as SAF does. Reserve Team status as well as the opportunity to develop further among some of the best players in the world will be a great opportunity for him. The question is whether there are other top clubs wanting to sign him, and which club he prefers based on this.

I look at him first and foremost as a CB. And a Smalling / Varane partnership can definitely be something to pursue if we get the opportunity. If so, I think it will be best for his development - and for us- if he moves to England / Manchester / SAF / Vidic / Rio / Smalling rather than being loaned to a French team.

I believe both Brown and Evans has an uncertain future with us if Varane comes.
 
Evans has one poor season and everyone thinks he's off.

Only 2 years ago people were saying he was the most talented young CB in English football.

*Sigh*
 
cina said:
Evans has one poor season and everyone thinks he's off.

Only 2 years ago people were saying he was the most talented young CB in English football.

*Sigh*
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2 poor seasons after one good one
 
If Carrick can get away with it, why not Evans? At it is, I think Browns pretty much off and if this lad can play in the midfield too then that's always another option
 
Without having read the whole thread, I hope someone had already pointed out the bug negative of this potential transfer.

He is a defender and Arsene Wenger was interested. Ergo he must be shite.

Forewarned is forearmed.
 
cina said:
Evans has one poor season and everyone thinks he's off.

Only 2 years ago people were saying he was the most talented young CB in English football.

*Sigh*
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I do not necessarily mean that he's off. I think, however, that SAF won't sign a new CB unless he believes that he has a greater potential than Evans has. And if so, this must have consequences for Evans future !?
 
M'n'M said:
Without having read the whole thread, I hope someone had already pointed out the bug negative of this potential transfer.

He is a defender and Arsene Wenger was interested. Ergo he must be shite.

Forewarned is forearmed.
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We signed Smalling when Arsene wanted him. :wenger:
 
I wasn't being entirely serious although Smalling has a way to go yet to prove this theory incorrect.
 
IL_DUCE said:
I do not necessarily mean that he's off. I think, however, that SAF won't sign a new CB unless he believes that he has a greater potential than Evans has. And if so, this must have consequences for Evans future !?
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Varane is 18, Smalling is 21, Evans is 23.

He won't be playing as much as they do for a few years.

And as it was said, he can play as a holding midfielder very well (supposedly), a position we desperately need a player for.
 
Varane has been the main and late surprise of Lens this year. One of the very few positive outcomes in a nightmarish season so far, ending with relegation.

He has always stood out as a leader at both youth level and reserve team, though he did not play much with the latter. He's cool and composed, tall with an impressive physical presence for his age and i think he can very much improve in this area as well.

He's a pure defender imho. The coach used him at first as defensive midfield vs Paris i think, because Hoarau is hugely dominant in the air and Varane was almost playing as 3rd central defender in this game. He has played a few more games in this position but i'm not really convinced, maybe he lacks games and experience there as well as a bit of vision and technique - compared to good passing-midfielders though, i'm a bit tough with him on that maybe.

His potentiel is real but he's so young, it's hard to say if Man Utd is the right choice both for the player and for the club. Ferdinand and Vidic are world-class, Smalling and Evans remain good prospects, the step will be huge for Varane...

Sir Alex had an eye on another Lens youngster during some time (Darnel Situ, playing central defender) and he might have changed his mind now that Varane has taken the edge. Varane is beginning to appear at international youth level as well.

He's finishing his studies this year (A-levels) and he is 18 now so it might be the right time before he becomes too much wanted. He'll need to become more agressive and gain some muscle but the potential is there.

Surely, i would have gone for someone else in France (Sakho is expensive but tremendous really, i see him as the best French defender in potential and in the years coming, just to name one) but nothing done yet and Sir Alex knows what he wants to build.
 
Lmarco said:
Varane has been the main and late surprise of Lens this year. One of the very few positive outcomes in a nightmarish season so far, ending with relegation.

He has always stood out as a leader at both youth level and reserve team, though he did not play much with the latter. He's cool and composed, tall with an impressive physical presence for his age and i think he can very much improve in this area as well.

He's a pure defender imho. The coach used him at first as defensive midfield vs Paris i think, because Hoarau is hugely dominant in the air and Varane was almost playing as 3rd central defender in this game. He has played a few more games in this position but i'm not really convinced, maybe he lacks games and experience there as well as a bit of vision and technique - compared to good passing-midfielders though, i'm a bit tough with him on that maybe.

His potentiel is real but he's so young, it's hard to say if Man Utd is the right choice both for the player and for the club. Ferdinand and Vidic are world-class, Smalling and Evans remain good prospects, the step will be huge for Varane...

Sir Alex had an eye on another Lens youngster during some time (Darnel Situ, playing central defender) and he might have changed his mind now that Varane has taken the edge. Varane is beginning to appear at international youth level as well.

He's finishing his studies this year (A-levels) and he is 18 now so it might be the right time before he becomes too much wanted. He'll need to become more agressive and gain some muscle but the potential is there.

Surely, i would have gone for someone else in France (Sakho is expensive but tremendous really, i see him as the best French defender in potential and in the years coming, just to name one) but nothing done yet and Sir Alex knows what he wants to build.
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great insight into ligue 1 as always.

situ sounds familiar. i think utd were in for him a few years ago, no?
 
Absent of other factors, such as someone performing better than they are, an individual player never really 'deserves' to be dropped from the team or eventually sold (because you need that reference to compare to). But the fact is that if our current center-back partnership consisted of two league one standard players, then a championship standard player would obviously be an improvement.

In other words, no player at United should be under any illusion that their position in the team and at the club is safe simply because they came from the youth team or even because they are playing well. It's entirely possible that a player that's had an outstanding season, playing the best football of their career, will still be relegated to the bench or even sold because two or more of their team-mates are simply better than they are.

This is all rather academic, anyway, because I suspect that this potential signing is related both to Varane simply being an outstanding talent that won't cost a great deal of money, and possibly also Rio's injury record and eventual retirement (as well as Wes Brown possibly moving on). Even if Evans and Smalling do become the first choice center-back pairing at some point, there would be a need for players as third and fourth choice.
 
A couple of itk's on twitter claiming we've all but wrapped this up and he'll be loaned to a French club next season. And when I say itk's I mean people who have consistently provided accurate information.
 
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