RAPHAEL VARANE says he does not regret joining Manchester United despite a miserable first season with the club.
The £41million centre-half left an all-conquering Real Madrid side – where he won the Champions League four times – to move to Old Trafford.
Man Utd centre-back Raphael Varane reckons he’ll perform better in Erik ten Hag’s first campaign if he gets a full pre-season’s training behind him Credit: EPA But he has had an injury-plagued first season, starting just 19 Premier League games and playing only 28 times in all competitions.
United are set to finish with their lowest Prem points total ever and are without a trophy for the fifth season running, while Real Madrid have just secured the LaLiga title and are in the semi-final of the Champions League.
But Varane, 29, said: “The experience it’s amazing. The feeling to be a United player is something special.
“I am very happy to play in the Premier League and it’s a great experience.
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Man Utd are ‘dealing with’ Milinkovic-Savic, Ward-Prowse £75m EXCLUSIVE “Obviously, it’s not the result what we expected but I’m still positive and I think that the next season will be better.”
“I think I need a full pre-season to be fit but I think next season will be better.
“I think this season was not bad but we can improve and we can do better.”
United will end the season with their lowest points tally if they fail to win their last two games away to Brighton and Crystal Palace.
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At least they finished the season at home on a high note – Varane scoring his first goal for the club in a 3-0 win over Brentford at Old Trafford on Monday night.
Now he is determined to help United improve next season under new boss Erik Ten Hag.
Varane said: “It’s been a frustrating season. I think we can improve.
“I think this season we were a little bit irregular and I think we can improve and do better next season.
“I’m always positive and I think with a good pre-season, with good work, we can prepare well for the next season and be ready to fight for every trophy. That’s the ambition of this club.”
Sometimes we’re able to play very well for 20-30 minutes and then play bad 10 or 15 minutes. We lost a lot of points like this.
Raphael Varane
The back four that Varane has been a part of, when fit, has been one of the big issues this season and he agrees it needs work.
He added: “We have to defend together closer. I think we have good players, players with experience.
“I think it’s not just about the defence but the whole team. I think we can improve, we can defend better.
“We can be more in control during games. Sometimes we’re able to play very well for 20-30 minutes and then play bad 10 or 15 minutes. We lost a lot of points like this.
“I think if we are consistent, we can improve a lot, so I think it’s a collective work we have to do.”
He admits it has been as well that they have had David De Gea behind them in goal this season.
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Ronaldo forced to deny he told camera after Man Utd win ‘I’m not finished yet’ He said: “David is having an amazing season. He helped us a lot. I think he has experience and he’s an amazing goalkeeper.”
While Varane is looking forward to working with Ten Hag he does not have happy memories of his meeting in 2018-19 when Ajax knocked his Real team out of the Champions League in the knockout stages.
He said: “I played against them in the Champions League and they played very well. I’m very excited to work with him.
“I think he has good experience and he’s a good person to work in this club.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
