- Raphael Varane’s contract with Manchester United expires on Sunday
- The 31-year-old landed in Italy to negotiate his transfer with Serie A side Como
- As it is part owned by former Chelsea and Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas.
Raphael Varane was in Italy this weekend to discuss a potential move that would see him add Serie A to the list of top leagues he has played in.
Varane’s impressive career so far has seen him represent Lens in France’s Ligue 1, Real Madrid in Spain’s La Liga and, most recently, Manchester United in England’s Premier League.
The 31-year-old French centre-back’s contract with United expires on Sunday, making him available on a free transfer this summer.
Varane has been linked with interest from David Beckham’s Inter Miami in the US, but could be set to sign for Italian side Como, who are part-owned by another Premier League legend, Cesc Fabregas.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reported via X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday morning that Varane had landed in Como for talks with the club’s board, including Fabregas, who previously made 17 appearances for the club’s first team on the pitch before retiring as a player at the end of the 2022-23 season.
Raphael Varane, pictured ahead of the FA Cup final in May, will leave Man United this summer
Varane could move to Italian club Como, which plays at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia
Serie A side Como are part-owned by former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.
Fabregas briefly served as interim coach of Como between November and December last year, recording three wins in five games.
He was then replaced by Welshman Osian Roberts, who guided Como to second place in Serie B and thus promotion to Serie A.
Como’s Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia is a long way from United’s 74,310-capacity Old Trafford stadium.
The average attendance at Como’s home games in Serie B last season was just over 6,000 people.
Varane made 32 appearances for United in his final season at Old Trafford. That took his total appearances for the Manchester club to 95 since his arrival from Madrid in 2021.
Fabregas pictured (centre) celebrating in May after Como gained promotion from Serie B
Varane made 95 appearances for United’s first team, including one in this year’s FA Cup final.
Fabregas has been working as a sports commentator for BBC Sport on Euro 2024, but is now back in Italy.
He previously made 360 appearances for Madrid and won 18 trophies with the Spanish giants, including four Champions League titles.
Varane lifted two trophies during his time as a United player – the EFL Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024 – after starring in a 2-1 win over Manchester City in his final appearance for the club.
