Raphael Varane is the first Manchester United player to announce his exit ahead of the summer.
Raphael Varane’s exit felt inevitable and was on good terms. It’s very possible not all of the players who leave will have much say in the matter.
United and Varane’s parting of ways was mutual. Manchester United did not want to pay his wages any longer, and the player and club did not come to terms on a deal for a lesser salary.
But with just 16 Premier League starts to his name this season, United may not have wanted to run it back at all, no matter the cost.
Varane will become a free agent from July 1 when his deal expires, and his next move is yet to be determined.
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Raphael Varane in demand
Raphael Varane, 31, will be in demand from clubs around the world. The former Real Madrid star has won the Champions League, and the World Cup, and would be an asset for any club.
What comes next for the Frenchman depends on what he wants. He will have the luxury of choosing.
Varane is thought to want to dial down the intensity of his career, having played at the top level for more than a decade.
He hasalready retired from international football and was vocal early this season in opposition to extended injury time added to Premier League games, blasting them as ‘damaging’ to the game.
Three potential options for Varane
Three potential options are emerging for Raphael Varane’s next move post-Manchester United, per Eurosport France.
The first is theSaudi Pro League, who began their spending spree by landing his ex-teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in late 2022. Casemiro could be heading there, potentially, if United are successful in finding a buyer.
It was claimed earlier this yearVarane has a lucrative salary offer from Al-Ittihad, who would be keen to unite him with fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema.
The second option is a move to MLS, where Varane’s former France teammate Hugo Lloris is playing for LA Galaxy, while Olivier Giroud will play for Los Angeles FC.
A switch to play in Saudi Arabia or USA would be less intense for Varane and suit his possible desire to tone down the intensity of his schedule.
The third option would be a return to Ligue 1 to play for his former club Lens, who he left as a teenager to sign for Real Madrid back in 2011.
Varane has regularly kept dialogue open with Lens, which helped lead to their friendly at Old Trafford last August.
However, the big challenge would be salary. Varane would have to drop his United earnings substantially, for Lens to be able to afford him, while in the USA or Saudi Arabia, he could earn more.
Varane, most of all, has a lifestyle choice to make. Which country does he want to live in, to play his football. It is a position of luxury that he will feel he has earned.