Man Utd star forced off with foot injury while on international duty

Manchester United defender Raphael Varane may have suffered another injury blow after he was forced off playing for France on Friday.

Varane was named in the starting XI for the friendly against Ivory Coast but was forced off on the hour mark, replaced by Arsenal loanee William Saliba.

The former Real Madrid was able to jog off the pitch but speaking in his post-match press conference, Les Blues boss Didier Deschamps revealed it was an enforced change, telling reporters: ‘He had a little problem with his foot.’

Varane joined United on a four-year deal for a fee of around £35million last summer but has seen his first season in England disrupted by injury.

The World Cup winner missed eight games with a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign having previously struggled with a groin problem.

Varane has started 15 of United’s 29 league games during a season where United’s backline has come under intense scrutiny.

Varane’s defensive partner Harry Maguire has been heavily criticised this season with Tim Sherwood suggesting the Frenchman has got off lightly this term, compared to the England international.

‘It’s about the best partnership with centre-backs. Harry Maguire is better with Victor Lindelof,’ the former Premier League manager said on Sky Sports last month.

‘If we talk about Raphael Varane, he’s got off the hook because he’s been terrible. He’s been terrible since coming to the club.

‘You’ve got Maguire who wants to defend the halfway line and Varane who wants to defend up there, so they’re not level with each other.

‘When Lindelof played the other night [in the 2-0 win over Brighton], United looked better, they looked better with those two.

‘It’s about finding the best partnership but then the manager has to be