Manchester United legend Paddy Crerand has expressed his delight over his club’s capture of Raphael Varane, comparing the signing to that of Rio Ferdinand’s.
Manchester United sent their fanbase into a frenzy after announcing the agreement to sign Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. The French defender had been linked with the club for a long time dating back to Sir Alex Ferguson’s days. And now, they have finally secured their man in what is considered a solid buy.
Varane decided to stay at Real Madrid throughout the many years Manchester United had been linked to good measure. The centre-back won four UEFA Champions League crowns among other accolades in Spain and now wishes to emulate that winning run over in England with Manchester United.
In general, the transfer is heralded as a masterclass, as many believe Varane could be the player to help Manchester United win the Premier League this term. The Premier League side have reached an agreement with Real Madrid over the terms of the transfer; however, COVID-19 related restrictions are delaying the official announcement.
In the last few days, Varane bid his goodbyes to decade-long teammates and club officials before flying to England to comply with coronavirus rules such as quarantine. We can expect him to be announced sometime this week. The French defender’s move was applauded by many pundits and former players alike, with Glen Johnson even suggesting Liverpool should have captured him instead of their summer signing Ibrahima Konate.
Among those was Manchester United legend Paddy Crerand, who was on hand to speak a good deal about the club’s latest capture. Talking to United’s official website, Crerand expressed his delight at the prospect of seeing Varane play in red.
He said, “He’s a class act. He played in the 2018 World Cup for France and stood out. He’s a totally class act. I don’t think there are many top central defenders anywhere. He reminds me of Rio Ferdinand, actually – that’s how good he is.”
“He’s excellent with the ball at his feet, and he makes everything look easy, the same as Rio. That’s because they’re terrific players. They make things look easy. They can read the game well. I think he’ll be a great signing for United,” Paddy enthused, “and at a great age as well; he’s been there and done it.”
Those are huge praises for the incoming centre-back. Sure, comparisons with Ferdinand will always bring about some level of pressure on Varane, but he probably deserves it for all his achievements in his career so far.
We still have to see what the 2018 FIFA World Cup Winner could bring to the table and whether he can make Manchester United genuine title challengers in the upcoming season. In all, the French defender is a top-notch addition to an already good looking defence at Old Trafford.
