Man United defender a target for Ligue 1 side

Manchester United will be hoping to return to winning ways when they welcome rivals Chelsea to Old Trafford on Wednesday. 

The Red Devils have endured a difficult season so far, and were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle United last time out.

Anthony Gordon’s second half goal was enough to earn the Magpies a memorable victory at St James’ Park, leaving the Red Devils seventh in the Premier League table.

Erik ten Hag’s side now face a Blues side that have improved of late, beating Brighton and Hove Albion 3-2 in an entertaining encounter on Sunday.

One player that is unlikely to start the game is defender Raphael Varane, who appears to have fallen out of favour of late.

The Frenchman hasn’t started any of United’s last four league games, and he has now emerged as a target for Ligue 1 side Marseille, according to Foot01 via TEAMTalk.

Varane has attracted interest from clubs in his native France

Varane, 30, joined the Red Devils from Spanish giants Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, having made a total of 360 appearances for the La Liga side across all competitions.

Having initially established himself as a key player for United, Varane has since fallen out of favour and is now behind the likes of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof in the pecking order at Old Trafford.

In total the France international has played 75 times for United, but his future in Manchester appears increasingly uncertain and he could be the subject of an offer from Marseille in January.

The French giants are set to lose a number of key players to international duty when the African Cup of Nations takes place in the new year, and manager Gennaro Gattuso is therefore keen to bolster his squad in January.