Manchester United have provided an official update on the condition of Raphael Varane, who was injured in the UEFA Nations League final.
Varane, signed from Real Madrid over the summer transfer window, looked to be the perfect defender to complement Harry Maguire. The early signs have been promising, but Varane’s debut campaign at Old Trafford has hit a bump in the road.
The 28-year-old was forced off the field of play as France took on Spain in the Nations League final. Man United fans held their breath as they awaited further clarification on the damage done to their defensive superstar.
They now have it, via an official statement shared on manutd.com, which rearaneads “Raphael Varane sustained a groin muscle injury in the UEFA Nations League final and has commenced rehabilitation at the club.”
“He will be out for a few weeks.”
Varane could hardly have picked an an injury at a worse time, with Man United set for a jam-packed few weeks, during which they will play crucial games in both the Premier League and Champions League.
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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men return to action away at Leicester City at the weekend before hosting Atalanta the following Wednesday. They then face arch-rivals Liverpool ahead of a trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium six days later.
Add into that a second clash with Atalanta in the Champions League group stage which is followed by the Manchester derby at Old Trafford, the United medical team will be getting to work right away to try and get Varane in match-fit condition as soon as possible.
Unfortunately for United fans, to suggest he is out for “a few weeks” really does threaten to rule him out of the bulk of those fixtures, which could prove decisive for both his team’s season and his manager’s tenure.