Manchester United Transfer News Roundup: Raphael Varane unlikely to start against Leeds United, Red Devils preparing to sell three stars this summer, and more - 11th August 2021
Manchester United are preparing to test their mettle against the best in the league in the upcoming season. The Red Devils have been on a slow but steady rise under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the last two seasons, finishing third and second respectively. The Norwegian will want to do one better in the upcoming campaign with some help coming in during the transfer window.
Manchester United's business for this summer is not done yet. The Red Devils are preparing to offload a few of their fringe players before the end of the month.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Manchester United transfer stories from 11 August 2021.
Raphael Varane unlikely to start against Leeds United
Raphael Varane is unlikely to start the game against Leeds United on Saturday, according to The Express via The Athletic. The Frenchman's official announcement has been delayed and he was unable to join up with his new teammates on Wednesday.
Varane has completed his medical with the Red Devils but is yet to sign a dotted line, with a few details of his contract yet to be sorted. As such, an announcement on Wednesday has been ruled out.
Manchester United remain eager to complete the paperwork as soon as possible amid hopes that he might still feature in some capacity against Leeds. The Frenchman wants to start the game but that looks increasingly unlikely as he is yet to complete a training session with the squad.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already hinted at a role on the bench for Varane in the weekend's game.
Despite the unexpected hitch in completing the deal, the Red Devils should be able to integrate the Frenchman into the squad by Thursday. Manchester United will have to assess Varane’s match fitness before taking a final decision regarding his involvement on Saturday.
Manchester United preparing to sell three stars this summer
Manchester United are preparing to offload Phil Jones, Jesse Lingard, and Andreas Pereira this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News. The Red Devils reportedly have to sell players before they can complete their fourth signing of the window. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already invested £115.9m in the squad so far.
All three players don't have any chance of breaking into the Manchester United starting eleven and do not offer much value from the bench. As such, the Red Devils are planning to cash in on them to fund another incoming this summer.
Manchester United striker advised not to join Inter Milan
Speaking to Betfair, former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has urged Anthony Martial to stay at the club amid rumors linking him to Inter Milan.
Martial was the top scorer for the club in the 2019-20 season, scoring 17 goals in the league in 32 appearances. However, he had a poor outing in the 2020-21 season and missed the latter half of the campaign due to an injury.
“Inter would not be the best place for Martial. His playing style is very technical and he is suited to going one-on-one with defenders,” said Berbatov.
The Bulgarian also claimed that if the Frenchman managed to stay fit, he could be an asset to the Red Devils.
“I would like him to stay at United and challenge himself. If he can show what he can do in training and then in games, then I think he will be fine, and he is another great option for United to have,” said Berbatov.