Ex-Man Utd star Varane could have 'contract terminated' after 23 minutes

Tom Weber

Updated: 31 Aug 2024 13:18 BST
3 min read

Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Raphael Varane has endured a nightmare start to life a Como.

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The French centre-back left Man Utd on a free transfer this summer after an injury-plagued time at Old Trafford. After a few weeks of speculation, he completed one of the most intriguing moves of the window, joining Serie A new boys Como.

The Italian side partially owned by Thierry Henry and coached by Cesc Fabregas managed to convince the World Cup winner to help them battle against the drop in their first season back in the top flight in over 20 years.

Varane was one of several big-name stars to join Como in the summer, with ex-Barcelona captain Sergi Roberto and former Liverpool players Alberto Moreno and Pepe Reina trading Spain for Italy too.

However, Varane got off to the worst possible start and a sensational report suggests that his stint in Italy could already be coming to an end.

Varane injured on debut and axed from squad

The 31-year-old was handed his Como debut by Fabregas in the Coppa Italia on August 23, but he lasted just 23 minutes before he had to be withdrawn with a fresh injury concern.

Clearly, his issue is worse than initially feared. Varane has not featured for Como since and has now been officially removed from the club's Serie A squad, which suggests that he could be out until at least January or potentially for the entire season.

However, that is not all. Italian outlet Sport Mediaset goes so far as to suggest that Como are considering terminating his contract, though an exact reason is not given.

Varane is still tied down until 2026 with the option for a further year, so it is not like Como will never see him in action again. The finances involved may be the bigger issue here, with Varane surely receiving a handsome salary.

Despite their high-profile owners, Como can ill-afford to have a big earner on their books who can't play, though a termination would certainly come as a major surprise. This situation could be one to watch going forward.