After leaving Manchester United in the summer, Raphael Varane is a free agent and David Beckham’s Inter Miami are ‘in discussions’ to sign him.
Varane said goodbye to the Old Trafford supporters after the team’s 3-2 victory over Newcastle United last month, capping his three-year stay at the stadium. Between 2021 and 2024, the 31-year-old made 95 appearances for the Red Devils.
During that time, he was instrumental in helping Erik ten Hag’s squad win the FA Cup and the EFL.
The World Cup-winning centre back’s contract was about to expire this summer, but United decided against making him an offer for a new contract as Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s team takes a new turn.
The French international has been linked to a return to his old club Lens in recent weeks, and it’s also said that Spanish powerhouse Atletico Madrid has expressed interest in signing him.
But Varane may be headed to Major League Soccer to play with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami, his old adversary in La Liga, according to TyC Sports.
Legendary Man United player David Beckham launched the Miami-based MLS team six years ago, and it features a roster full of superstars, including former Barcelona players Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets.
Varane might now be the newest high-profile player to sign a contract at Chase Stadium, as the article also states that the Herons have already started negotiations with him about a potential summer transfer.
It’s believed that, in light of Nicolas Freire’s severe ligament damage, Inter Miami manager Gerardo Martino has made it a priority to sign a new centre back this season.
The main barrier to completing a transaction for the Major League Soccer team is that Busquets, Messi, and Leonardo Campana presently occupy the team’s three designated player berths.
Therefore, in order to make room for Varane, Miami would either need to lose one of the three players listed above, or the Frenchman would need to accept a hefty pay reduction in order to stay under the team’s wage ceiling.
Varane’s final season at Old Trafford
Due to injury, the 31-year-old’s effect on the Red Devils during the 2023–24 campaign was limited, despite the former Real Madrid great making 32 appearances in all competitions.
Ten Hag was without his preferred center-back combination for extended periods of time due to the absence of both his central defensive partner and Messi’s Argentine compatriot Lisandro Martinez for the entirety of the season.
In the FA Cup final, United defeated crosstown rivals Manchester City 2-1 thanks to strong performances from Varane and Martinez, who were able to get back together for the last time.
The Frenchman moved to Old Trafford in 2021 after the Red Devils paid Real Madrid £34 million to bring him to the Premier League.
I”Despite the fact we have had a difficult season, I am very positive for the future,” the veteran defender wrote in an emotional parting statement. “The new owners have a fantastic strategy and a well-defined plan.
When we play our final home game of the season at Old Trafford, I’ll see you there to say farewell. I have no doubt that today will be incredibly emotional for me.”
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