Manchester United's Pau Torres interest proves John Murtough agrees with fans on transfers

Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane seemed like a centre-back partnership worthy of challenging for the Premier League title in the summer. United have been calamitous in defence instead and that statement looks foolish with the benefit of hindsight.

Maguire has endured a nightmare campaign. The centre-back was exceptional at the European Championship but those performances now feel like a lifetime ago - they were just nine months ago in reality. Maguire has been ponderous, devoid of confidence and unable to arrest his decline this season. There have understandably been calls for United to sign a replacement for him.

Raphael Varane was supposed to be the final piece of the jigsaw alongside Maguire. United's £34m deal to sign Varane from Real Madrid in the summer was a genuine coup and he arrived in Manchester with a CV not many currently playing could compete with.

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Varane has looked world-class when on the pitch, but the 28-year-old has become more familiar with the injury room than the noise of Old Trafford. His injury record has been disappointing. Varane is not the solution United once thought he was.

The centre-back has missed 16 matches through injury or illness this season. He was unavailable again for United's visit to Liverpool on Tuesday night and supporters have grown increasingly frustrated with the player, just like they have with Edinson Cavani for a similar reason. Varane is not injury-prone to the extent of Cavani - not many players are - but it's slowly becoming an issue.

Ralf Rangnick started Phil Jones on Tuesday night. Jones' plight is well documented and something has gone seriously wrong when