Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate says he still has to go a long way to match Manchester United superstar Raphael Varane’s career

According to Manchester Evening News, Ibrahima Konate has acknowledged that he still has work to do to live up to the calibre of Manchester United defender Raphael Varane.

The United centre-back unexpectedly announced his international retirement earlier this year in an effort to extend his club career. Varane’s career has recently been plagued by recurring issues and it’s not like France have a shortage of options.

Varane became one of the top defenders in the world at Real Madrid and earned 93 caps during the heyday of French football. Following the World Cup, Varane decided that it was the best time to step away and make room for the new blood.

When asked if he had succeeded Varane, Konate said:

“Having taken up the torch? No, not yet. This is one of my objectives but I am still far from everything that he has won, from his track record, from everything that Raphael Varane has succeeded.”

Varane is a highly distinguished and successful defender who has won many trophies throughout the years. The French defender spent ten years at Real Madrid, where he won four UEFA Champions League championships and dominated Europe.

With Real Madrid, he also won three La Liga championships. Varane has achieved remarkable success on the international scene as well. He helped his team win the 2018 FIFA World Cup and was a key defensive player.

There’s hardly any player in United at the moment who has achieved so many trophies except for maybe Casemiro, his Real Madrid teammate. At the age of 24, Konate has been doing well for Liverpool, gaining from Jurgen Klopp’s coaching and the experience of playing with Virgil van Dijk at the back.

All eyes will be on Konate to see if he can perform now that Varane is no longer an option for the French national squad.

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Although he has the potential to be an outstanding player for Les Bleus, it might be some time before he achieves the pinnacle Varane reached in his career.