Raphael Varane is leaving? His contract expires at the end of the current season and will not be extended.
The 31-year-old Varane spent three seasons at Old Trafford, during which he won the League Cup. He arrived at Old Trafford from Real Madrid, where he spent ten years, winning the Champions League four times and the La Liga title three times.
For Manchester United, Varane, who is currently recovering from an injury, played a total of 93 matches with 2 goals and 1 assist, winning the Carabao Cup last season.
On May 25th, the defender will have the opportunity to triumph for the last time with United in the FA Cup tournament, if the team defeats the city rival Manchester City in the final.
The talented Frenchman made an emotional statement to the fans of Manchester United in a specially prepared video distributed on social media:
“To you guys, supporters of Manchester United. It’s been an amazing few years to play for this special club and wearing that shirt. The first time I went to Old Trafford as a Man United player, it was insane. The atmosphere was amazing. I fell in love with the club and the fans. You have to play for Man Utd to understand what that represents. For my kids, it’s home here. It’s going to be a special place for me, for life. When the fans go to Wembley, it’s something they remember for life. To share that moment with them was absolutely amazing.”
Varane also shared his thoughts about Ratcliffe and INEOS’ arrival as United’s new part owners, adding: “Despite the fact we had a difficult season, I’m very positive for the future. The new owners are coming in with a clear plan and a great strategy. I will see you at Old Trafford to say goodbye for the last game at home this season and it’s going to be a very emotional day for me, for sure.”
Manchester United’s last home game is against Newcastle on May 15th.
Raphael Varane is a world champion with France in 2018, but subsequently he retired from the national team. After a long and successful career at Real Madrid, he moved to Manchester United, where he often missed games due to injuries.
In one of his recent interviews with the French newspaper L’Equipe, Raphael Varane talked about the increasingly discussed topic related to the consequences for footballers of heading the ball and suffering brain concussions.
This has been a serious issue in the country where the defender plays – the United Kingdom, as scientific studies have found a link between head injuries and diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS among former footballers who played in the 1960s, 70s, 80s…
This has led to restrictions on heading the ball among youth – not only in the birthplace of the game but also in the USA and other countries.
“During a match, I headed the ball several times and in the following days, I felt unusual fatigue, as well as heavy eye fatigue,” Varane recently recounted to “L’Equipe” – without specifying the specific match. – “I told the team’s medical staff that I didn’t feel well for the next match. And it was decided that I wouldn’t play. This happened after I underwent tests provided by the staff. I had a migraine. But what if I hadn’t asked for these tests? I would definitely have been in the lineup.”
Varane points out several instances where he had concussion symptoms but still played.
In the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he took a blow to the eye in the round of 16 against Nigeria. According to him, he played the rest of the match “on autopilot”. He then played in the quarterfinals against Germany.
“I couldn’t miss such a World Cup match just because I felt slightly tired. The fact is, that’s how I felt. Sometimes I look back and wonder: if I knew I had a concussion, would I have told the coaching staff and risked not playing? And the staff was wondering if I was okay. I was a bit weaker, but ultimately I started and performed well, even though I lost a personal duel against Mats Hummels in Germany’s winning goal,” Varane recounts.
And he continues with reflections on severe consequences:
“What we’ll never know is what would have happened if I had taken another blow to the head. When you realize that a series of concussions can lead to fatal consequences, you tell yourself that something is wrong.”
Varane also cites another specific example – in 2020 at Real. After a head injury in a La Liga match, he underestimated his condition and wore the kit for a Champions League match against Manchester City, in which he made serious mistakes in both of City’s goals.
Because of all this, the defender has told his son not to play with his head.
“My 7-year-old son plays football and I just told him to avoid heading the ball. It’s extremely important to me. Nothing may happen to him at the moment, he may not feel anything, but the long-term effect can be very dangerous and harmful to health. Personally, I don’t know if I’ll live to be 100, but it’s perfectly clear to me that I’ve damaged my body. The dangers of heading the ball must be explained to amateurs and youth football,” says the ace.
And he issues a warning:
“As footballers playing at the highest level, we are accustomed to pain. We are like soldiers, tough guys, examples of physical strength. However, these concussion symptoms are often invisible.”
Meanwhile, Spanish media rushed to announce that it is very likely that Varane will return to La Liga. According to various reports, the name of the French star is linked with Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Betis, and Real Sociedad. The Spanish league seems like a very convenient destination for the defender, as he spent a full 10 years at Real Madrid, winning the Champions League four times and the La Liga title three times.
Varane’s class is undisputed and he will definitely raise the level wherever he decides to continue his career.
Read more about Champion’s League, and LaLiga.
