Raphael Varane might soon give Manchester United a decision to make

When he is fully fit and at the peak of his powers, Raphael Varane is one of the very best central defenders the Premier League has to shout about.

Signed from Real Madrid in August 2021, the Frenchman, who made a rock star's entrance ahead of Manchester United's season opener against Leeds United, brought both an elite-level mentality and a bucket load of experience to Old Trafford. He'd won 18 trophies during his decade-long spell in the Spanish capital, including four Champions League crowns.

United had landed one of the best centre-backs in the business, who immediately upgraded their defensive options and the squad as a whole. It was a statement signing that sent out a message to their competitors.

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A little over two years since Varane posed for a selfie in front of 73,000 United supporters in the Old Trafford centre circle, however, the Frenchman has struggled to help the club make the progress they had wished for at the time of his arrival. It was hoped that bringing in a player of his status and calibre would be a key step in helping them return to the top.

Unfortunately for United and Varane, injuries, more often than not, have got the better of him, meaning he has made just 74 appearances in a little under 27 months. His Old Trafford career has been played at a stop-start rate, which is incredibly unfortunate for both the player and the club.

When he is fully fit, he is, without any shadow of a doubt, the club's best defender. He is a Rolls-Royce of a player and United, as the statistics show, tend to cope better with him than without him.

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