New reports suggest that iconic defender Raphael Varane is preparing to terminate his contract with new club Como and hang up the boots for good.
Following a 14-year career that saw him win four Champions League titles and three La Liga titles with Real Madrid, the EFL and FA Cups with Manchester United and the 2018 World Cup with France, Varane is ready to retire.
The 31-year-old joined newly-promoted Serie A side Como over the summer after leaving United as a free agent, agreeing a two year deal.
But, after suffering a serious knee injury just 20 minutes into his debut, it is now reported that he is considering retiring from football.
According to French outlet Le Parisien, the French defender is expected to announce his early retirement imminently due to his recent struggles to maintain fitness and avoid long-term injuries.
The news was later confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who wrote on X: “After his recent serious injury, Raphael Varane is considering to retire from professional football.
“He’s about to terminate his contract at Como, as Le Parisies reports.”
Varane spent large parts of his three years at United injured, forcing him to miss out on a over 40 matches in all competitions.
Similarly at Real Madrid, he missed nearly 100 matches due to injury or illness throughout his decade with the La Liga giants.
Despite this, the defender has enjoyed a storied career, winning the biggest trophies in football both with club and country and is widely considered to be one of the most successful French players in the history of football.
Raphael Varane won the World Cup with France in 2018. (Image: Getty)
Varane had already retired from international following France’s penalty shootout loss to Argentina in the final of the 2022 World Cup.
Announcing his international retirement, he said: “Representing our great country for a decade has been one of the greatest honours of my life.
“Every time I wore this very special blue jersey I felt immense pride. The duty to give it all, play my heart out and win every time we put on the field.
“I’ve been contemplating this for several months and deciding it’s the right time for me to retire internationally.”
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