£41m Man United ace to pair up with former colleague Ronaldo in Saudi

Now that Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s partial takeover of Man United is close to being ratified, the expectation that things could change quite dramatically on and off the pitch isn’t without foundation.

A root and branch review of the footballing side of the business is long overdue, and whilst there will inevitably be casualties in terms of staffing, ultimately any sackings or redundancies are for the greater good. Ditto any sales of first-team stars.

One of those is likely to be French World Cup winner, Raphael Varane, signed for £41m by the Red Devils from Real Madrid, per Sky Sports.

It appears that Varane is only in the starting XI at present because of an injury to Harry Maguire, and once the England international is fit, the former will be back on the subs bench.

It’s obvious why that wouldn’t suit a player of Varane’s standing, nor would a reduction in salary, something being suggested by reliable journalist, Ben Jacobs:

Manchester United won't trigger Raphael Varane's one-year extension. Possible a new deal is offered on reduced terms, though. Those close to Varane have downplayed a Saudi move in 2024, but dealmakers still think he's a very concrete possibility. Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr hold an… pic.twitter.com/yMXvvfHY3k

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) January 1, 2024

Given that Jacobs also mentions that the club won’t be extending the player’s contract, a move away from Old Trafford is now a certainty.

To that end, pairing up with former Real Madrid and Man United colleague, Cristiano Ronaldo, at Saudi Pro League side, Al Nassr, seems to be a distinct possibility at this stage.

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