Manchester United have plenty of options at centre-back when everybody is fit – but having everybody available has been an issue.
When Manchester United re-signed Jonny Evans last summer, nobody expected the Northern Irishman to play a prominent role. He has ended up playing 24 matches this season.
Evans was not always used as a last resort. Earlier in the season there was lots of discussion when the 36-year-old was repeatedly picked ahead of World Cup winning defender Raphael Varane.
Varane later regained his place in the team, and it seems there may have been more to his absence than initially met the eye, forget Erik ten Hag‘s comments about preferred passing angles.
Raphael Varane experienced concussion problems
Raphael Varane has been speaking about his problems with concussions, in an interview with French newspaper L’Equipe.
He explains he has had to withdraw from matches for this very reason, commenting: “During a match, I performed a series of headers, and in the days that followed I felt abnormal fatigue as well as severe eye fatigue.
“I reported to the staff that I was not fit to play and they strongly recommended that I not play. I took a test from a doctor, the results of which were passed on to the staff and I did not play the following match.
“But if I hadn’t asked to take these tests, I probably would have been lined up a few days later and, to be honest, I felt bad that I didn’t play the next game because of a migraine.”
Varane takes his health seriously and has the view that he could suffer long-term effects due to his playing style.
He said: “Personally, I don’t know if I’ll live to be 100, but I do know that I’ve damaged my body. The dangers of headers need to be taught on all amateur football pitches and to young people.”
Varane tipped to leave Manchester United
Raphael Varane’s contract expires at Manchester United at the end of the current season. He is one of the club’s most highly-paid players at present.
Varane’s comments are the clearest indication on his future yet, that he will end up walking away from the Premier League.
England’s top flight is the most intense competition in world football, played at a physical level, and Varane has already criticised theextra-time being played in Premier League games as ‘damaging’ for the players.
As he plots his next move, expect Varane to take a potentially lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, or even a return to French football.
No Manchester United player has made more clearances this season than Raphael Varane, averaging 4.3 per game, with Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans following on 3.5 each.