“I would have liked…” Raphaël Varane makes admission about Manchester United departure

Former Manchester United defender Raphaël Varane has made a fresh admission surrounding his final days as a player following his retirement.

Raphaël Varane departed Manchester United following the expiry of his contract in June 2024 after spending three years at Old Trafford.

The former French international arrived at the club from Real Madrid in August 2021 for a fee of around £27 million, with many excited at the prospect of the five-time Champions League winner guiding United’s defence into a new age under Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

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However, the Norweigan manager was sacked just months later, with Ralf Rangnick taking over and Varane himself suffering from several injury issues.

When Erik ten Hag joined the club in June 2022, Varane struck up a fantastic partnership with Lisandro Martínez. However, injuries to both players made this partnership short but sweet.

Varane and Martínez played their final game together in the 2024 FA Cup final. The pair helped Ten Hag lift his second trophy as manager in a 2-1 win over Manchester City.

Varane then left United for Italian side Como 1907, but before he could make his official debut, he sustained another injury and eventually chose to call time on his career, retiring entirely.

In a new interview with L’Équipe, Varane has explained that he wishes he had chosen to finish his career at Manchester United following the FA Cup final win.

“At the start of my last season at Manchester United, I was already telling myself that I would have liked to finish there, to extend the adventure [there] a little further,” Varane stated.

“It didn’t happen, and the summer was very eventful. I was looking for something special, and that’s how I found Como.

“With United, I finished with a victory in the FA Cup, but I already knew that the club’s project didn’t suit me.”

“Como was a project that stood out; it wasn’t exotic nor financially [rewarding], but humanly, it made sense, and it still does, since I’m going to stay by their side,” he continued.

“I also wanted to play only once a week. After the preseason, the family was supposed to follow me to Italy, but when I got injured on the 11th of July, I knew right away that it was over. I was sure of myself because I had anticipated it.”

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