Raphael Varane suffered an injury-hit time at Manchester United, and his luck does not appear to have improved.
During his three seasons at Manchester United, there were few complaints about Raphael Varane’s ability or production on the pitch.
Varane shone during two cup final wins for Manchester United, and had some fans wondering whether the decision to part ways with him this summer was wise.
The Frenchman has signed as a free agent with ambitious Italian side Como, and has already made his debut. But it did not end well.
Raphael Varane injury
Raphael Varane was making his competitive debut for Como in the Coppa Italia, with his side away at Sampdoria.
Varane’s night had barely got started when he was forced off with an injury after just 20 minutes.
The World Cup winner was able to walk off, but appears in discomfort as he was led to the sidelined by Como’s medical staff.
The nature and full details of Varane’s injury are yet to become clear, but evidently this is a less than ideal start for the former Manchester United defender.
Raphael Varane fitness record
Along with Varane’s high wages, his questionable fitness record was partly behind Manchester United’s decision not to extend his contract.
In 2021/22 he made 22 Premier League appearances, and 24 the following season. It was another 22 last season.
Yet in 2023/24, he posted the lowest volume of Premier League starts yet, only 16, fewer than half of the team’s fixtures.
Across his three seasons at Manchester United, Varane could have started a potential 113 games, missing the first of 2021/22 as he was only unveiled at kick-off.
Of those 113 potential Premier League starts, Varane made only 58, narrowly over 50 per cent.
While his replacement, Leny Yoro, has got off to an unfortunate injury-hit start himself, the decision to part ways with Varane was not necessarily the wrong one.
His own early injury at Como reinforces the idea that United were right to release him, however minor or major the outcome is.
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