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Former Manchester United centre-back Raphael Varane looks set to join recently promoted Serie A club Como in Italy. This comes after the former France international left Old Trafford as a free agent after the season ended with the Red Devils winning the FA Cup.
Varane had moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United in 2021 but struggled to meet expectations. He had been a World Cup-winning centre-back with the France national team and a regular Champions League winner with Los Blancos. However, he was unable to replicate the same success in England.
According to a report from DerbyDerbyDerby.it (via GOAL), he is set to undergo his medicals at Como and sign a deal that will see him stay at the Italian club for two years. His pedigree will be important for Como, as he joins them after playing 22 Premier League games last season for Manchester United.
In those games, he helped United keep eight clean sheets. He will also look to play a leadership role at Como, with the newly promoted club hoping to stay up in Italy's top tier.
Harry Maguire speaks about Manchester United future
After Raphael Varane's departure, another centre-back who is reportedly set to leave Manchester United this summer is Harry Maguire. The former club captain has had a topsy-turvy period at the club since he joined them from Leicester City.
Maguire has struggled to meet expectations in more recent seasons, eventually getting stripped of the captain's armband by manager Erik ten Hag. He looked set to leave last season, with a move to West Ham potentially in the works, which fell through.
In conversation with Sky Sports, the 31-year-old defender declared that his future lies at Manchester United:
"Unless the club tell me I'm up for sale or I'm not wanted there anymore. Everything I've heard and the action I've been shown from the club, I'm part of the future and it is time to crack on and make this club successful again, challenging for the big trophies. That's what this club demands."
Maguire will be hoping that he can continue to impress Erik ten Hag and the coaching staff at the club, with pre-season now in full swing. He will be hoping to regain his slot in the starting line-up ahead of the new season.
