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Out-of-contract Manchester United star Raphael Varane is wanted by Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
The 31-year-old was not offered a new deal by Manchester United and he announced in May that he would be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of this month.
The highly decorated Frenchman played 95 games for United in total and won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup in his three years in Manchester.
Despite an up-and-down time in England, the World Cup winner left in the perfect way, putting in a defensive masterclass alongside Lisandro Martinez to keep Manchester City largely at bay during the FA Cup final win.
Varane has been linked with a return to his former side RC Lens and Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have also been credited with an interest in the player.
TyC Sports report that Varane could soon be joining a former opposition player he shared many battles with during his La Liga days.
“Inter Miami wants to reinforce the defense with the Frenchman Raphaël Varane, an old rival of Lionel Messi,” the outlet reports.
Varane will be a free agent from the 1st of July and “although the salary provision is a major obstacle in the MLS, there has already been contact between the parties.”
“Coach Gerardo Martino is in search of a central defender for Inter Miami – given the serious ligament injury of Nicolás Freire – and the priority is the Frenchman Raphaël Varane”.
He would be seen by the club as a “top reinforcement”, the report continues.
Were Varane to join Inter Miami, he would join a collection of former La Liga players as alongside Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, and Jordi Alba all play their football in Florida these days.
Nonetheless, it is yet to be seen whether Varane would be happy to leave European football at only 31 years old and his performance in the cup final suggests that he can still play at something close to the highest level when fit.
Varane’s arrival at the club was met with much excitement but his legacy will be tinged with regret. He is a classy defender, who clearly seemed to love representing the club and formed an impressive partnership with Lisandro Martinez. However, persistent injuries throughout his United career tarnish what could have been a much more successful time in English football.
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