Where are they now? The 4 players Man Utd signed alongside Raphael Varane
Raphael Varane is set to leave Manchester United at the end of the season, but what happened to the other four players that the club signed alongside him in 2021?
The Frenchman has arguably been United’s most consistent defender since his arrival from Real Madrid, but injuries haven’t been kind to him over the years.
With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the club have decided to move the 31-year-old on at the end of the campaign.
“I’ll see you all at Old Trafford to say goodbye for the last game at home this season,” Varane announced on social media. “It’s going to be a very emotional day for me.”
We’ve gone back to the summer of 2021 and have checked up on the other four players who arrived at Old Trafford alongside Varane.
Jadon Sancho
It’s been a strange few years for Sancho since his £73million switch to Old Trafford. He’s struggled to find his best form in a United shirt, had a public spat with Erik ten Hag and now finds himself in a Champions League final with Borussia Dortmund.
It remains to be seen where Sancho’s future lies beyond this summer, especially if Ten Hag is still the man in charge next season.
Dortmund seem keen on keeping him around next season, but the finances involved in signing the 24-year-old make things tricky.
We’re still holding out some hope that Sancho makes something of his United career, but the first three years definitely haven’t gone to plan.
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Paul McShane
The Irish defender returned to Old Trafford in 2021 as a player-coach, having spent the last couple of years playing for Rochdale in League One.
Unsurprisingly, he didn’t make a senior appearance upon his return to the club, but he was utilised as part of the U21 squad.
McShane officially announced his retirement at the end of the 2021-22 campaign and he’s since stepped into the role as the club’s Professional Development Phase coach.
Along with his duties at United, the 38-year-old also works as the assistant coach of the Republic of Ireland Under-21s.
Cristiano Ronaldo
He didn’t exactly depart on the best of terms, but Ronaldo hasn’t looked back since making the switch to the Saudi Pro League last year.
Since joining Al-Nassr, the 39-year-old has scored 62 goals in just 66 games which is far more than any other United player has managed in that same timeframe.
Obviously, the level he’s up against isn’t anywhere close to Premier League standard, but he seems to be enjoying himself nonetheless.
Earning an estimated yearly salary of €200million, he’s also the highest-paid footballer in the world right now.
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Tom Heaton
The 38-year-old is still at the club to this day following his return in 2021. Predominately the second or third-choice goalkeeper, Heaton has been handed a couple of chances over the last few years.
In total, he’s made three appearances in the cup competitions since his return to the club, but he seems happy enough playing the backup role.