It’s 2021 and Raphael Varane is finally a Manchester United player, but he could have swung up at Old Trafford ten years earlier if Sir Alex Ferguson had his will.
As early as 2011, Varane emerged as arguably the best young defender on the planet at the time, and he was eventually snatched by Real Madrid, who paid around £ 8 million to land the Frenchman from Lens.
United wanted Varane during his time at Lens / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN / Getty Images
His move to Real came as a surprise as it was United who had been more proactive in their pursuit of Varane, with some reports at the time going so far as to suggest a deal was made, and Varane has now revealed that Ferguson himself traveled to France to try to complete the signing.
“There had been a lot of rumors and a lot of talk about me and Manchester United since 2011, when Sir Alex Ferguson came to my mother’s home,” he told the club’s official website. “When it was right [this year], that was when I talked to my club, and I felt it was a real opportunity to play in the Premier League for Manchester United. ”
Varane was eventually influenced by Zinedine Zidane and left United to sign another highly regarded kid, Phil Jones, for a hefty £ 16m – a move that didn’t quite go to plan.
It may have taken ten years, but Varane is finally a United player, and he admitted that he was happy to make the move to Old Trafford after all this time.
“I am very happy and very excited to start this new journey for me,” he continued. “It was a very good adventure with my old club, but now it’s a new start for me and I’m very happy to be here.
“I think it was a good moment because of many things, but I think the most important thing is that it is a new challenge and it is a great motivation to start in a new league in a big club like Manchester United. This opportunity was great for me, so I chose this change for me and my family. They have been with me. You feel when things are a good moment and this was the right moment.
We all follow United, or @RaphaelVarane? ?? # MUFC pic.twitter.com/ua0xz7qoST
– Manchester United (@ManUtd) 16 August 2021
“It was very important for me to know exactly about the philosophy and what the challenges and goals are, and the ambitions – it was very important to me. And I feel a real determination and an ambition to work very hard and to try to do everything possible to win trophies. That motivates me. “
Varane also opened up his relationship with the Frenchman Paul Pogba, with whom he has tasted lots of success on the international stage and is keen to replicate it at the club level.
? After a decade of success, @RaphaelVarane remains hungrier than ever for more silver.
Trust us: you ??? ‘? do you want to miss this special Q&A? #MUFC
– Manchester United (@ManUtd) 16 August 2021
“I think Paul is very positive and he has a very good energy; he motivates players in the locker room and on the pitch with his energy,” he continued. “We are different but we complement each other a lot, and it is important in the team to have different types of leaders and characters.
“I am very happy. I have known him for a very long time, we started together with the French national team and he is a fantastic player. I think he is ambitious and so am we, so we are ready to work hard and do everything we can for to win trophies. ”
