Man Utd flop tipped for SHOCK free transfer to Chelsea

Carlo Garganese

• 17 Apr 2024 10:12 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea have been urged to sign Raphael Varane on a free transfer by their former player Glen Johnson.

Varane’s contract at Manchester United expires at the end of the season and it appears very unlikely that the Red Devils will activate the option to extend his deal by another year.

The France centre back is therefore set to be available to sign for nothing in the summer, and former Chelsea defender Johnson believes the Blues should get him.

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What did Johnson say?

“Good players like that don’t come around often and they certainly come around less often on a free transfer,” Johnson told Betfred.

“I know he’s not the Varane he was three or four years ago but he’s still a bloody good player.

“Yes, he’s had his injury problems but that’s what outweighs the transfer fee – if you’re buying him on a free and he’s only playing 40% of the games, then that’s still a good deal to do.

“As we saw with Thiago Silva, those sort of players who have done everything, played for top teams and clubs, they get the attention of the dressing room and they’re the big names that the younger players want to look up to and obviously they’re great to have around.

“If you have got a chance with Varane on a free transfer and he’s only going to play 50% of the games, I still think it’s a good deal.”

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Varane lost his place in the United first team this season and has generally only been starting when there has been a succession of injuries to other centre backs.

He fell so far down the centre back order earlier in the campaign that Jonny Evans, Victor Lindelof and even Luke Shaw have all been preferred to him as Harry Maguire’s centre back partner.

Varane’s relationship with manager Erik ten Hag has not been the best, while he has also suffered from an increasing number of injuries in recent years.

Varane joined Man Utd from Real Madrid in 2021 but has not impressed like he did during 10 brilliant years in Spain.

Clubs in Saudi Arabia have also been linked with the centre back, who only turns 31 this month.