- Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion investment could finally be confirmed next week
- He will face a difficult decision over the futures of Casemiro and Raphael Varane
- Nobody’s fooled by the nature of Man United’s performances this season – IAKO
Sir Jim Ratcliffe faces a crucial decision over the futures of Casemiro and Raphael Varane once he takes control of football operations at Manchester United.
Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion investment could finally be confirmed next week when the New York Stock Exchange reopens after the Thanksgiving break.
The Ineos billionaire and his sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford are expected to sit on a new football committee once Ratcliffe acquires a 25 per cent share of the club from the Glazer family.
United have already announced that chief executive Richard Arnold will leave before the end of the year, and football director John Murtough is also likely to go as Ratcliffe focuses on improving recruitment.
United paid Real Madrid a combined £112million for Casemiro and Varane, even though the pair were 30 and 28 respectively when they moved to Old Trafford on lucrative, long-term contracts.
Out-of-form Casemiro (L) and out-of-favour Raphael Varane (R) could be heading for an exit
The Brazilian midfielder has struggled to replicate the excellent start he enjoyed during his first campaign at Old Trafford, appearing short of form and fitness at the start of this season
Meanwhile, Varane has fallen down the pecking order under United manager Erik ten Hag (left)
Both were pivotal in Erik ten Hag’s impressive first season at the club but have struggled this term and approach the January transfer window with a question mark over their futures.
Casemiro looked short of form and fitness at the start of the season, and is out until after Christmas with a hamstring injury. The Brazilian has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in January. Even if he stays, his future is likely to be up for discussion in the summer.
Varane, meanwhile, has fallen out of favour with Ten Hag such that their relationship has practically broken down. A frank exchange of views is believed to have taken place after Varane was dropped for the Manchester derby last month, and the Frenchman has only made three substitute appearances since.
The 30-year-old is said to be unhappy that Jonny Evans has been chosen ahead of him, and Victor Lindelof was then selected to play alongside Harry Maguire against Luton two weeks ago when Evans was injured.
‘Maguire took his chance when Varane was absent. When the moment is there, you take it and the other has to fight back,’ Ten Hag told beIN Sports on Thursday.
Bayern Munich have expressed an interest in signing Varane in a £25m deal in January, but it is unlikely the Germans could afford his £340,000-a-week wages. United have discussed replacements, but moving for Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo may involve a conflict of interests due to Ratcliffe’s ownership of the French side.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £1.3billion investment in Manchester United could finally be confirmed next week when the New York Stock Exchange reopens following the Thanksgiving break
Manchester United are now considering a move for Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo (right)
The unity among the squad that was so strong last season has been lacking, not helped by the players’ split over the decision to exile Jadon Sancho.
It is symptomatic of a division in the camp between players who welcome the Dutchman’s discipline and those who do not.
Privately, some of the coaching staff have discussed adopting a softer approach to get all the players onside approaching a crucial run of games.
It begins with Sunday’s trip to Goodison Park to face an Everton side smarting from their 10-point deduction for breaching Premier League financial rules. Asked if it is a bad time to play Everton, Ten Hag said: ‘That’s definitely the case. They get more fuel. It could work against them, too.’
