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Manchester United captain Harry Maguire praises Raphael Varane upon arrival
As quoted by The Guardian, Harry Maguire expressed his excitement at the arrival of Raphael Varane from Real Madrid to Manchester United during the summer.
The Red Devils have signed the Frenchman for a £41million fee. And the moment every fan was waiting for came before the kickoff against Leeds, when he was presented in front of a full Old Trafford crowd.
Varane did not play in the game but that was expected considering his recent arrival. Given his status in European football and the fee he has commanded, it is expected that Varane partners Maguire in United’s defence.
And the Man United skipper was full of praise for the 28-year-old centre-back as he mentioned the ‘winning mentality’ and footballing ability that Varane would bring to the club.
“You’ve seen what he’s won over his career. He’s played in some of the top teams about – the French squad and Real Madrid – and he’s won absolutely everything. I think he’ll bring that winning mentality and his footballing ability to the club. To bring in players of his calibre is really, really exciting.”
Maguire lauds Lindelof
The Englishman isn’t wrong. Varane has won almost every big trophy there is to win – from the UEFA Champions League with Los Blancos to the FIFA World Cup with Les Bleus.
Victor Lindelof has been Maguire’s companion in United’s defence and featured against the Whites this weekend. While he could be displaced by Varane in the starting XI, Magure believes that such competition is healthy and expected at a club like Man United.
“You’ve seen again how well Victor played. He’s an excellent footballer so to have this number of top centre-backs is great. At one of the biggest clubs in the world, you don’t expect to have an easy ride and have no competition for places. Bringing in players is great, we thrive off it.”
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It remains to be seen how quickly Varane slots himself into the starting XI, and fans would think that there is every chance it could be against Southampton this weekend.
