Man United star’s contract expires earlier than previously thought

Manchester United will hope to return to winning ways when they face rivals Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday. 

The Red Devils have endured a below-par campaign so far this season, and were beaten 3-0 by Bournemouth at Old Trafford last weekend.

In midweek, Erik ten Hag’s side were knocked out of the Champions League following a 1-0 defeat against Bayern Munich, increasing the pressure on the Dutchman.

The Reds will undoubtedly provide a tough test for United at Anfield on Sunday, and Ten Hag could make changes to his side for the game.

Defender Raphael Varane returned to the United starting XI for the defeat to Bayern, having been unused during their previous four league games.

Now, it appears that the defender’s contract expires earlier than previously thought.

Varane is set to be out of contract next summer

According to 90min, Varane’s contract is set to expire at the end of the current season, as opposed to the summer of 2025.

The deal is said to run until next summer, but United do hold the option of triggering a 12-month extension to the contract.

If they choose not to do so, though, the 30-year-old will be free to leave the club at the end of the season, and he could even sign a pre-contract agreement with any foreign club in January.

The Frenchman joined United from Spanish giants Real Madrid back in 2021 for a fee of around £40 million, and has since made 76 appearances for the club across all competitions.

Having impressed during his first season at Old Trafford, Varane has fallen down the pecking order under Ten Hag and is now below the likes of Harry Maguire and Johnny Evans.

Varane has played just 18 minutes of Premier League football since the start of October, making a total of eight league appearances so far this term.