MU's new owner will spend a lot of money, pushing the future of the Red Devils' two 'big stars' to the brink
Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £1.3bn investment could finally be confirmed next week. Casemiro and Varane are at risk of leaving United.
Casemiro and Varane could leave MU when Sir Jim Ratcliffe officially takes over
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will make a major decision on the futures of Casemiro and Varane after he takes control of football operations at United. Ratcliffe's £1.3 billion investment could finally be confirmed next week when the New York Stock Exchange reopens after the Thanksgiving break.
Billionaire Ineos and sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford will have a seat on the board after Ratcliffe bought a 25% stake in the club from the Glazer family. United have previously announced that chief executive Richard Arnold will leave before the end of the year and director of football John Murtough could also leave as Ratcliffe focuses on improving recruitment.
The Red Devils paid Real Madrid a total of £112m for Casemiro and Varane, despite the pair being 30 and 28 respectively when they moved to Old Trafford on long-term contracts.
Both played key roles in Erik ten Hag's impressive first season at United but have struggled this term and head into the January transfer window with a big question mark over their futures.
Casemiro has physical problems, Varane is no longer trusted
Casemiro has struggled for form and fitness at the start of the season and is out until after Christmas with a hamstring injury. The Brazilian has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia in January. Even if Casemiro stays, his future is likely to be discussed in the summer.
Varane, meanwhile, has fallen out of favour with Ten Hag. Varane was left out of the Manchester derby last month and has made just three substitute appearances since. The 30-year-old is said to have been unhappy with Jonny Evans being given priority over him and Victor Lindelof being selected to partner Harry Maguire against Luton two weeks before Evans picked up an injury.
"Maguire took his chances when Varane was out. When the opportunity comes, you take it and the other person has to fight back," Ten Hag told beIN Sports on Thursday.
Bayern Munich have expressed an interest in signing Varane in a £25m deal in January but are unsure whether the German club can afford his £340,000-a-week wages. The Red Devils have also discussed alternatives but a move for Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo could lead to a conflict of interest due to Ratcliffe's ownership of the French club./.
