Ex-Man United Defender, Raphael Varane Sets To Join Como 1907

French professional footballer and former Manchester United player, Raphael Varane, is on the verge of signing a two-year contract with Como 1907.

Popular Italian football transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano, revealed this in a post on Sunday, noting that the 31-year-old player has officially put pen to paper on the deal with the Serie A newcomers, and his unveiling as a member of Como’s squad is expected very soon.

“Understand Raphael Varane’s formal signature on a two-year deal as new Como player is imminent,” Romano noted.

“Official statement to follow soon. Varane will join Como on a two-year deal valid until 202…exclusive story from June, set to be confirmed.”

Following the confirmation of Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s co-ownership bid, one of the initial decisions made by INEOS was whether to extend Varane’s contract at Old Trafford.

Naija News understands that the contract of the 31-year-old central defender, which included an option for an automatic twelve-month extension, was not exercised by United.

It has been reported that Varane was earning a weekly salary of up to £340,000 during the previous season.

However, his recurring injury issues limited his availability significantly, rendering his high salary unsustainable.

An additional year at this rate would have amounted to a financial burden of over £17.5 million for United.

The collaboration between Varane and Lisandro Martinez was a key factor in United’s success under Erik Ten Hag’s leadership in his inaugural season in the Premier League.

Conversely, the team’s reliance on this defensive partnership was a significant weakness last season, with both Martinez and Varane sidelined for extended periods.

This led to United’s poor performances in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Despite these challenges, Ten Hag managed to include Varane and Martinez in the final game of the season – the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Their performance in this match was a testament to their capabilities, as United emerged victorious with a 2-1 win over their local rivals.

Varane’s exceptional defensive skills were a valuable asset to the club, but his lack of technical prowess hindered his full potential in Ten Hag’s system. Coupled with his injury woes and high salary, INEOS decided to part ways with the former Real Madrid player last Christmas.

Como 1907, after Varane entered free agency, expressed keen interest in signing him and actively pursued him to join their team, which proved to be successful.

Varane is now on the verge of completing the trio of Europe’s top leagues, having already played in Spain and England, with an official announcement of his move to Italy anticipated tomorrow.