Raphael Varane had a mixed time at Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images)
Raphael Varane planned to finish his career at Manchester United but felt that the club’s project ‘didn’t suit him’ before his exit over the summer.
The Frenchman spent three seasons at Old Trafford which saw him win the FA Cup and League Cup, but also saw him struggle with a number of injuries and the Red Devils struggle for consistency in the Premier League.
At the end of last season the 31-year-old left Old Trafford as his contract came to an end, signing for Italian side Como.
Sadly a knee injury has since sidelined him and he took the decision to retire from football having only turned 31 earlier this year.
He says that when he joined Manchester United from Real Madrid in 2021 he intended for the Red Devils to be his last club, but felt that he didn’t fit into the project at Old Trafford.
‘At the start of my last season at Manchester United, I was already telling myself that I would have liked to finish there, to extend the adventure a little,’ Varane told L’Equipe. ‘It didn’t happen, and the summer was very eventful.
‘I was looking for something special, and that’s how I found Como. With United, I finished with a victory in the cup, but I already knew that the club’s project didn’t suit me.
Varane celebrating the FA Cup win with Bruno Fernandes at Wembley in May (Picture: Getty Images)
‘Como was a project that stood out, it wasn’t exotic, not financial, but humanly it made sense, and it still does, since I’m going to stay with them. I also wanted to play only once a week.’
Varane made 95 appearances for Manchester United, scoring two goals, but his major success came at Real Madrid, where he won the Champions League four times and three La Liga titles. The defender also lifted the World Cup with France in 2018.
He announced his retirement in September, saying: ‘In my career I have taken on many challenges, rose to occasion after occasion, almost all of it was supposed to be impossible. Reflecting on these moments, it is with immense pride and a feeling of fulfilment that I am announcing my retirement from the game that we all love.
‘I hold myself to the highest standard, I want to go out strong, not just holding on to the game. It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct. I have fallen and risen a thousand times, and this time, it’s the moment to stop and hang my boots up with my final game winning a trophy at Wembley.’
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