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Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has rubbished talks of problems with Raphael Varane after rumors began to make rounds to that effect. The Dutch manager was clear that his decision to play the Frenchman less was purely tactical, and it was due to the competition for places in the squad.
Ten Hag has had to shuffle his pack repeatedly due to their precarious injury situation in defense, where he has lost multiple players at various points. This season, Harry Maguire is the only one of the Red Devils' centre-backs not to have spent any time in the treatment room through injury.
Speaking to the press ahead of this weekend's match against Everton, Ten Hag was surprised by claims of unrest between himself and Varane. The manager spoke about it being a mere rumour and explained that he had to choose between Varane and Maguire.
"I don't know what you're talking about. It's just rumours but there is internal competition. When you have to decide between two players who are brilliant - Varane and Harry Maguire - then you have to make a choice."
Raphael Varane has appeared eight times in the Premier League this season, but only four of them have been starts. He has found himself out of the squad twice this season, with the manager preferring to use other players at times.
Varane has not started a league game for Manchester United since September against Crystal Palace, and he was substituted in that match. The defender is said to be unbothered by the current situation at the club, understanding the manager's choice in the matter.
Manchester United signed Raphael Varane from Real Madrid after a trophy-laden spell at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the 30-year-old has appeared 75 times for the Red Devils since. He is one of the squad's senior players, and he captained them when they played Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup this season.
Raphael Varane a victim of injury crisis at Manchester United
This season has been tough on Erik ten Hag at Manchester United with the amount of injuries he has had to deal with. Last season, his first-choice centre-back pairing was Lisandro Martinez and Varane, but both were injured at a point this season.
Ten Hag has had to play 35-year-old Jonny Evans, who is far from an ideal centre-back for the club, during this period. His ability on the ball proved to be a good reason for the Dutch manager to start him.
Varane is not the most comfortable defender with the ball at his feet, as he is not very capable of line-breaking passes. Due to this limitation, the manager has chosen to play Maguire more regularly, as he excels in this department.
Martinez was the perfect complement for Varane last season, and his passing ability made it easier to play out from the back. When he returns, there is a possibility of seeing Varane play more regularly, but until then, he will likely continue to be a backup.
