Manchester United’s season is going from bad to worse with the Red Devils limping to their 10th defeat of the campaign, this time against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
Manager Erik ten Hag’s side are struggling to finish in the top four domestically, while their hopes of progressing through to the knockout stages of the Champions League are hanging by a thread.
The English giants have conceded the second-most goals in the group stages in what has been an embarrassing display in a group most fans would have expected the team to qualify from.
Varane’s poor season
Injuries have derailed the campaign with the defence being the worst affected. The manager has hardly ever had the luxury of picking his first-choice back-four this season.
Lisandro Martinez remains sidelined along with Jonny Evans while Raphael Varane is currently the fourth choice at best, something the Frenchman never thought would happen.
His poor injury record has not helped matters while the form shown by Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof has meant the Dutchman has not found space for the World Cup winner.
The former Ajax coach has played down talks of a rift with the player but reports have indicated that the club are open to moving on the former Real Madrid superstar.
Varane had announced his intention to retire at United but that might not be the case anymore. The likes of Chelsea, Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Saudi clubs are chasing his signature in January.
Now, French outlet Foot01 have revealed that a return to his homeland in the form of a move to Ligue 1 giant Marseille is also possible.
Marseille enter the fray for Varane
The Ligue 1 side are struggling in ninth place and manager Gennaro Gattuso has been promised funds to spend in January as the club eyes another central defender.
“The two most serious tracks are in Naples with Jesper Lindstrom and Leo Ostigard.
“Ostigard is not the only avenue studied in central defense since OM is also thinking of Varane and Lille’s Leny Yoro. But the Norwegian from Naples is undoubtedly the easiest to sign in the short term.”
It will not be easy for Marseille to pay a large transfer pay to United and pay Varane his current wages. But as a club, it will suit the former France international who is not yet ready to depart Europe for the riches of Saudi Arabia.