All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea remain one of the most inconsistent teams in the Premier League this year.

Mauricio Pochettino's side can take a point away from the Etihad or lose 4-2 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers – it's a coin flip every time.

However, while several players seem to oscillate between two extremes in terms of their performances in blue, a few will come out of this season with their stock higher than it was in August.

One of those will be Conor Gallagher, although for as consistent as he's been for the Pensioners, one recent addition earns more than him despite being less than impressive since making his debut.

How much Conor Gallagher makes at Chelsea

Gallagher has been with Chelsea for about 16 years now, joining the club's youth set-up in 2008 at just eight years old. The Epsom-born gem made a notable impact in the club's youth teams, making 92 appearances for the various age groups, scoring 17 goals, providing 13 assists and winning Chelsea's Academy Player of the Year award in May 2019.

With his ability too good to remain in the youth teams, the 6 foot midfielder spent the next three seasons on loan, first with Charlton Athletic, then West Bromwich Albion and finally Crystal Palace, where he made the biggest splash, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in 39 games.

In his first full season back at Stamford Bridge, the "game-changer", as former professional Jermaine Jenas dubbed him, played a noteworthy squad role in the team, making 49 appearances across all competitions – even if only 25 were starts.

However, this season, the "heart" of Chelsea, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, has already made 35 appearances – 31 starts – for Pochettino, scored four goals and provided six assists in a team that, as mentioned before, have been terribly inconsistent.

It was Gallagher's goal that won Chelsea the game against Leeds United in the FA Cup last night, and it would be hard to accuse the boyhood Blues fan of not putting a shift in every time he pulls on that shirt.

So, given his performances, effort levels and how much Pochettino plays him, you might expect the Englishman to be one of the club's highest earners, but that's just not the case.

In fact, his £50k-per-week wage doesn't even place him in the top 15 earners at Chelsea, let alone the top five, and what's even more bizarre is that there's a recent signing who earns more than him, despite being utterly underwhelming since joining the club.

How much Robert Sanchez has cost Chelsea

Yes, summer signing Robert Sanchez, a player who was dropped at Brighton & Hove Albion, currently earns more than Gallagher.

The Spaniard is on £60k-per-week in west London, which in and of itself may not seem massively outrageous for a first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League, but there is the issue: it doesn't look like he's first choice anymore.

Before injuring his knee against Everton in December, the former Seagulls shot-stopper was having a tough time of it, and while his struggles weren't getting quite the same attention as, say, Andre Onana's, he was still making blunders, as indicated below.

Since his injury, the young Đorđe Petrović has stepped between the sticks, and while he hasn't been perfect, he has looked far more assured in comparison.

For example, while the Serbian has a marginally worse passing accuracy than the Spaniard, he has a better save percentage and clean sheet percentage despite facing more shots on target per 90, which is ultimately the most important metric for a goalkeeper.

Shots on Target Against

4.91

5.71

Save Percentage

70.5%

71.2%

Clean Sheet Percentage

18.8%

22.2%

Passing Accuracy

82.1%

79.2%

In all, with his £25m transfer fee and the £1.7m in wages he's already earned, it's hard not to look at that £26.7m as money wasted from Chelsea's point of view, especially after he conceded two sloppy goals in his comeback last night.

Chelsea gem who won 9 duels v Leeds was the real hero over Gallagher

The young “phenomenon” was crucial to the Blues’ victory.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 29, 2024

Ultimately, Chelsea are a club with many problems to deal with over the coming years, and it certainly looks as if they have given themselves another one in the "poor" Sanchez, as former Chelsea defender Scott Minto once described him.

Tottenham Hotspur were defeated at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out in the Premier League but Ange Postecoglou will be confident that his side can secure a positive finish to the campaign.

A fast start to the season shredded many pre-season predictions into tatters as Spurs soared into the title ascendancy, but progress has been punctuated by irregularity in form since Postecoglou made history by picking up three successive Premier League Manager of the Month awards across the opening months.

While recent recruitment has been on the money, after a fashion, Heung-min Son is arguably still the finest player on the books, the last of the old guard following Harry Kane's sale to Bayern Munich last summer.

Signed back in 2015, Son was part of a past wave of investment to bring Spurs to the fore, and while the club enjoyed comparative success during those days, too many signings failed to find even a portion of Son's success, with Georges-Kevin N'Koudou undoubtedly one of the worst.

When Spurs signed Georges-Kevin N'Koudou

One year before Tottenham swooped in for N'Koudou, they wrapped up the £12m signing of Clinton N'Jie from Lyon for around £12m, the dynamic forward touted for big things.

He fell by the wayside and moved on after only one campaign, replaced by N'koudou in 2016. with the winger completing an £11m move from Marseille, N'Jie heading to the French club on loan before penning a permanent transfer.

Sadly, Tottenham got it wrong on both occasions, with N'koudou, who had scored ten goals and supplied five assists in France the term before, flattering to deceive.

Georges-Kevin N'Koudou's stats at Spurs

Upon arrival, N'Koudou remarked that former Manchester United phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo and Spurs stalwart Gareth Bale were among his biggest inspirations, influencing his style of play and playing into the possibility of immense success in north London.

He said: "It's true that I watched many Premier League games when I was a child as well and I remember a few players that made me want to come here – Gareth Bale for instance, who has played here.

Club

Apps

Goals

Assists

Real Madrid

258

106

67

Tottenham Hotspur

236

71

58

Southampton

45

5

12

LA Galaxy

14

3

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

"There was also Cristiano Ronaldo when he was playing for Manchester United. They inspired me because they play the way I like to – they like to challenge defenders, to dribble."

And in fairness, N'Koudou did offer such attributes, with his fleet-footedness and explosive qualities a perfect fit for prominence at a team such as Tottenham.

However, the Cameroon international failed to live up to the hype and contributed with just one goal and two assists across 27 games in all competitions, leading podcaster Chris Miller to criticise the "awful signing", also noting that his woeful return in Tottenham colours "sapped" chairman Daniel Levy.

N'Koudou might have built his career back up now, leaving Spurs for around £5m back in 2019 after a string of unsuccessful loan spells.

This season, in the Saudi Pro League, the Damac FC star has plundered 15 goals and four assists from just 19 league appearances, finally living up to those one-time claims that he was the emulation of Bale that Tottenham so craved.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Circumstances… differ, certainly, and Levy's promising-looking transfer business of late might have been conducted with the scars of former misfires such as this one still branded in memory.

Newcastle United are believed to be eyeing a "world-class" replacement for Dan Ashworth, assuming he departs the club soon, with the individual in question a highly-rated young figure in the European game.

Newcastle begin sporting director hunt

It looks increasingly as though Ashworth will join Manchester United in the coming months, having requested to leave St James' Park, following nearly two years at the club. The 52-year-old was previously at Brighton, gaining a reputation as a transfer mastermind, but Newcastle now have to face life without him.

Ashworth is currently on gardening leave, and as long as the Red Devils are willing to pay the Magpies £20m in compensation, they will be able to acquire his signature.

Now, PIF, and most notably Steve Nickson, will be working harder than ever to find the perfect replacement for the Englishman – someone who can work seamlessly alongside Eddie Howe, continuing to bring in top-class players, as Ashworth has with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak, among others.

Newcastle eyeing "world-class" Dan Ashworth replacement

According to HITC, former Roma director Tiago Pinto has emerged as one of the leading contenders to join Newcastle as Ashworth's successor in the near future, while Nickson is already getting a head start on summer transfers.

The report states that the Magpies have tasked Nickson to "push on with their summer plans", with the St James' Park head of recruitment holding down the fort until a new chief is in place. Pinto represents an exciting young choice to be Newcastle's new sporting director, having done an impressive job during his spell as a director at Roma. In fact, he has been lauded by the club's chairman Dan Friedkin in the past.

Pinto has publicly expressed his admiration for the Magpies, admitting this week: "If a big club like Newcastle asks to speak to you, then of course you're interested." He also of course has a relationship with Jose Mourinho, who has his own connections to Tyneside through Sir Bobby Robson, and it could be interesting to see if any interest in the legendary manager arises should Pinto get the job.

Ange Postecoglou has certainly been backed throughout the first season of his Tottenham Hotspur tenure and that looks set to be the case once again this summer, when the Lilywhites could make their move to sign another defensive target.

Tottenham transfer news

The headlines were centred around Harry Kane and his departure to Bayern Munich last summer, but this time around, Spurs will be hoping to grab the spotlight for their incomings. With that said, the North London club have already been linked with several impressive moves, including for the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who has starred in the Championship this season with Leicester City, and Joshua Zirkzee, who has enjoyed a recent rise at Bologna.

A number of moves may well depend on Spurs' ability to attract players, especially if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season. As things stand, they sit three points behind Aston Villa with a game in hand. With 10 games to go, Postecoglou's summer ambitions hang in the balance, as he looks to finish his first season in North London on the biggest high possible.

Spurs legend sold for just £6m would be worth more than Kane in 2024 money

This erstwhile phenomenon was sold for £6m, but that would be much more in the modern market…

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 24, 2024

One move that is unlikely to depend on Champions League football, however, is one for Gleison Bremer, who Spurs were linked with earlier this season. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Spurs have now been offered the chance to sign Bremer this summer, having been contacted via intermediaries in what is a boost for Postecoglou and co.

The Juventus man is reportedly keen on a fresh start in English football after struggling to continue his rise since moving to Juventus in 2022.

Any deal won't come cheap though, with Bremer's release clause sitting in excess of £50m and with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle all offered the same chance as Spurs ahead of the summer window. So, it certainly looks likely to be a busy race for the defender's signature this summer.

"Complete" Bremer needs Juventus exit

Winning Serie A's defender of the year in 2022, Bremer more than earned his move to Juventus from Torino. But since then, he has struggled to make the same impact. Now 27 years old, the Brazilian may need a summer move to get back to his best and Spurs could represent the perfect option to do just that.

Given Micky van de Ven's injury struggles and Cristian Romero's occasional moment of madness, the Lilywhites would be wise to sign another central defender this summer and Bremer has proved that he has more than enough ability to keep up with the aforementioned duo.

Progressive Passes

90

69

126

Blocks

30

12

30

Interceptions

35

13

34

Tackles Won

34

22

32

Aerial Duels Won

81

24

53

Whilst £50m+ is a hefty deal to finance, Spurs need to keep up with the rest of the Premier League's top six, meaning they could be pursuing such deals this summer for Postecoglou. It's a move that Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig will be keeping an eye on, that's for sure, having dubbed Bremer the "complete package" back in 2021. Now, we could soon see that "complete package" in the Premier League.

A report has claimed that Manchester United already have an offer on the table to sign a new defender this summer.

Man Utd transfer rumours

The Red Devils, with sporting decisions now down to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS, are gearing up for what could be a busy off-season.

One of the toughest calls Ratcliffe may need to make is on manager Erik ten Hag, whereas Omar Berrada is the new CEO, and he could soon be joined by both Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox behind the scenes.

Man Utd have now “agreed” terms with off-field target

He wants to join the Ratcliffe era.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 2, 2024

Their focus could be on new signings, although Ratcliffe has hinted that the club may not splash the cash. For example, when asked about the possibility of signing either Jude Bellingham or Kylian Mbappe, he said:

“He’s a great footballer (Bellingham) but it’s not where our focus is. The solution isn’t spending a lot of money on a couple of great players. They’ve done that, if you look at the last 10 years. The first thing we need to do is get the right people in the right boxes, managing and organising the club. We must make sure we get recruitment right, such a vital part of running a football club is getting recruitment right, finding new players.”

On the idea of bringing in Mbappe, Ratcliffe then added: “I’d rather find the next Mbappe, rather than spend a fortune to buy success. It’s not that clever to buy Mbappe, anybody could figure that one out.”

A number of players have been linked with moves to Old Trafford in recent weeks, though. Benfica midfielder Joao Neves could be a rare big-money signing of the Ratcliffe era, whereas talks are being held for OGC Nice left-back Melvin Bard.

Port Vale’s teenage attacker Baylee Dipepa could be a star of the future that Ratcliffe and United find, however, a new target that has now emerged is a more experienced option.

Man Utd make Giovanni Di Lorenzo offer

According to reports from Italy, relayed by Man Utd News in the last 48 hours, the Red Devils have been linked with a move for Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo.

In fact, it is claimed that Man Utd have already contacted Di Lorenzo’s camp and that an offer is on the table, with Premier League rivals Aston Villa doing the same.

Di Lorenzo has spent his entire career in Italy and has been with Napoli since 2019. Under contract until 2028, he is primarily a right-back but can also play as a centre-back or as a right-midfielder.

He could therefore provide plenty of versatility in Manchester, and he’s also been a player who former manager Carlo Ancelotti has previously called “reliable”.

“Off the ball, Di Lorenzo becomes a right-back with a line of four. I must say Di Lorenzo is a great surprise for me. He is extremely reliable wherever you put him and he is a player you don’t need to explain too much to, he just gets it.”

The Italy international has made more than 200 appearances for Napoli and won the European Championships with his country and the Serie A with his club last year, so he may also have the winning mentality that is required to succeed at Old Trafford.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has apparently told an 18-year-old he'll be given a chance to prove himself at Spurs, on one condition.

Postecoglou pleads for Spurs academy improvement as he sets ambitious goal

The Lilywhites head coach has spoken about the importance of N17's production line, and how he wants the academy to greatly improve.

Ex-Tottenham employee says 18-goal forward could be tempted to join Ange

He’s been called his division’s standout player.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 9, 2024

Tottenham have produced some standout talents over the years, not least the likes of Harry Kane, who went on to become the club's all-time record goalscorer before he departed for Bayern Munich last year.

More recently, Alfie Dorrington, Jamie Donley and Mikey Moore have all been tipped for potentially big futures, but Postecoglou has been adamant that Spurs have a lot of work to do when it comes to nurturing young stars for the future.

"I think we've got a lot of work to do in our academy and Simon Davies is certainly one that is putting a lot of emphasis and priority there," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's production line.

Newcastle (away)

April 13th

Arsenal (home)

April 28th

Chelsea (away)

May 2nd

Liverpool (away)

May 5th

Burnley (home)

May 11th

"I don't think we have the production line other top clubs have, certainly not. Even currently that’s why we’re investing in some younger players, even for the first team. For us as a football club that's definitely the way forward.

"My brief at the moment is still very much around the first team and building a first team and you can do that while giving opportunities to young players. If anything I think for sustainable success it's the best way to go because the team grows together when it's guys of similar ages as long as you've got good experience around them."

Postecoglou also wants Tottenham to become a hot spot for young talent, and they've made real headway in that regard recently. Spurs beat Barcelona in the race to sign Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall in January, and the 18-year-old will link up with them this summer after a loan spell at Djurgardens IF.

Postecoglou makes Bergvall a game-time promise at Tottenham

Now, Djurgardens official Peter Kisfaludy has shared some details as to why Bergvall chose north London over the Camp Nou.

He refutes claims that it was down to money and interestingly lifts the lid on a conversation between Postecoglou and the teenager. Indeed, Kisfaludy says Postecoglou has promised Bergvall game time at Spurs, on the condition he works hard.

“He has taken everything very well," said Kisfaludy to Aftonbladet (via Sport Witness).

"There has been so much rubbish on social media that he would have chosen Tottenham for the money. The contracts with Barcelona and Tottenham were fully negotiated. Both for his own part and between the clubs, so that he could choose.”

“He got a better feeling and that is not so strange. When the coach Ange Postecoglou sits down with him and says that he loves young players and that he will get the chance there if he works hard. Compare that to Barcelona, where you didn’t even know who was going to coach the team.”

Everton have made some questionable decisions with transfers over the last few years, which is one of the reasons the club have found themselves in hot water with the Premier League.

The Toffees have been hit with multiple points deductions this campaign, with Sean Dyche's side accumulating eight points for multiple breaches of PSR and FFP.

Signings of players such as Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Yerry Mina cost the club over £50m, with the duo both departing Goodison Park on free transfers upon the end of their contracts.

However, the club can add another player to their list of talents who have failed to replicate their best form at the club, after he departed the Toffees a couple of years ago after an unsuccessful stint at the club.

Allan's stats at Everton

After arriving at Goodison Park for £21m during the summer of 2020, Brazilian midfielder Allan had high expectations of succeeding after his impressive five-year stint at Napoli.

He made 24 appearances in the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, starting all but one of Everton's first 13 matches of the campaign. However, a muscle issue would see him miss all of January and February before returning in March and enjoying another permanent place in the starting lineup.

Allan would keep his starting role throughout the following campaign, under the guidance of Rafa Benitez and Frank Lampard. The Brazilian would be a mainstay under the Spaniard but would fall down the pecking order under the former Chelsea boss.

He only started nine games under the Chelsea legend, before not playing in four of the five remaining Premier League games during the 2021/22 season.

Appearances

57

Goals

0

Assists

3

Yellow cards

13

His lack of minutes would see him depart Goodison during the summer of 2022, with the club doing a brilliant job of offloading the midfielder given his hefty weekly wage of £70k-per-week – equating to roughly £7.2m in total across the two seasons, as per Capology.

Allan's wage in 2024

Allan – who cost Everton around £28m when combining his total salary and initial transfer fee – departed the club for a move to the United Arab Emirates side Al Wahda for an undisclosed fee to play regular football after a stop-start period under Lampard.

He's since managed to appear 50 times for the club in just over 18 months, with the 33-year-old finding form in front of goal, scoring three times and creating four assists in 18 matches this campaign.

The Brazilian still earns a whopping £86k-per-week as per Salary Sport, with Everton having needed to shift his huge weekly earnings to create some wriggle room in their battle to comply with PSR rules.

Despite his immediate impact on the first-team squad, the club did the right thing by offloading the ageing talent, with the one-time Napoli man notably dubbed an "imposter" due to his dismal displays away from Goodison – as per broadcaster David Downie.

Also branded as a figure who "can't run" by talkSPORT pundit Harry Redknapp – while once also completing just two passes in 73 minutes of a Merseyside derby – Allan was certainly an unwanted and unneeded drain for those on Merseyside.

The Toffees arguably now have much better options in the middle of the park, thankfully, with the likes of Amadou Onana and James Garner far more influential than the veteran midfielder ever was.

Everton may have to sell "magnificent" ace to avoid further PSR woes

The club could still yet receive a further punishment.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 9, 2024

As Jurgen Klopp battles to secure the perfect farewell against the odds at Anfield, Liverpool's injuries have quickly controlled the narrative in a season that may end in what could have been, with their latest blow hardly helping.

Liverpool injury news

Liverpool's EFL Cup final victory over Chelsea, which relied on inexperience and academy graduates for the most part, both sums up the powers of Klopp and the Reds' season. It's been rare that they've had a full squad to choose from, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Alisson Becker all missing significant parts of the campaign.

Report: Liverpool now preparing to bid for £50m+ Real Madrid target

Michael Edwards isn’t messing around.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 16, 2024

Klopp at least has all three options back among his squad to choose from, but it comes at a time when his side looks mentally and physically exhausted after suffering back-to-back defeats against Atalanta and then Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Handing themselves an impossible task of reaching the Europa League's last four following a shock 3-0 defeat against Atalanta at Anfield, and then losing any advantage in the title race courtesy of Palace, the Reds were also handed a blow on the injury front with Conor Bradley limping off against Oliver Glasner's side last Sunday.

Now, according to James Pearce, Bradley will miss the next two to three weeks of action in a major blow for Liverpool, given how much of a revelation the youngster has been since coming into the side.

Klopp can at least feel relieved that Alexander-Arnold is now back fit at the perfect time to step back into his right-back role, but it once again delays the chances of the England international appearing in midfield for the Reds in what could play a part in turning their current form around.

Liverpool games that "fantastic" Bradley could miss

Potentially missing three weeks, Bradley will likely return around the first week of May to hand Liverpool a boost in their final two games against Aston Villa and then Wolverhampton Wanderers. Before then, however, the Northern Ireland international could miss five games in total for the Reds.

Atalanta vs Liverpool

18/04/2024

Fulham vs Liverpool

21/04/2024

Everton vs Liverpool

24/04/2024

West Ham vs Liverpool

27/04/2024

Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur

05/05/2024

Klopp will be well aware of the talent that his side will be missing too, having praised Bradley back in January. The Liverpool boss said: "I'm not sure if Conor Bradley makes it home. He might fall asleep in the dressing room, exceptional. What a boy, a fantastic character, with intelligence, top potential.

"And he's in the right team because everybody loves him, everybody respects him, everybody wants him to succeed so it was a great game with all the difficulties of every football game.

"I was waiting for the moment we could give him an opportunity. Today was intense for him. Someone has to drive him home hopefully. He gave absolutely everything. It's really nice to see. He could show how good he already is. So much more to come."

Arsenal could be set to wave goodbye to one of their stars this summer as it has emerged that Bayern Munich are sniffing around with the intention of snatching him from the Emirates Stadium.

Gunners gunning for title

Mikel Arteta's side took another step towards the Premier League title with a comfortable win against Bournemouth over the weekend, but must still rely on Manchester City to slip up between now and the end of the season.

Edu must finally banish Arsenal flop who's earning as much as Gabriel

One Arsenal star is running out of time to save his career at the Emirates Stadium.

ByMatt Dawson May 6, 2024

Pep Guardiola's side sit a point behind the Gunners with a game in hand, and know that should they take all three points from their games against Fulham, West Ham United and Tottenham, they will be crowned champions for the fourth time in a row.

Though well-placed to go again next season, Arteta's squad will need to be reshaped, with the need for another midfielder and a defender able to provide cover for William Saliba the bare minimum, while another striker could arrive depending on the future of Eddie Nketiah.

There are likely to be several departures too, with plenty of the Gunners squad seeing very little gametime at the Emirates Stadium this season. And that includes two of their highest earners.

Arsenal's former City stars could leave

As a result of their success on the pitch, question marks have arisen over Gunners duo Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who have spent most of the season off it. The pair were signed from Manchester City for a combined £80m just two summers ago, and were transformative upon their arrival, helping Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title last season.

But this season has been a different story, and reports suggest that Arsenal are open to selling the pair of them should offers come in for their services, with Kai Havertz and one of Jakub Kiwior or Takehiro Tomiyasu preferred in their respective positions.

Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko – Less impact?

Zinchenko 22/23

Zinchenko 23/24

Jesus 22/23

Jesus 23/24

Games started

26

20

24

17

Goals and assists

3

3

17

9

% minutes played

63%

53.7%

61%

46.4%

Mins per goal contribution

712

565

122

162

Now, they could have found a buyer, with Bayern Munich targeting Zinchenko as they look to move on from Alphonso Davies, who is seemingly Real Madrid-bound either this summer or next. According to reports in Spain, the Gunners have placed a 45m euro price tag on his head (£38.5m), which has not put Bayern off their chase of the Ukrainian.

It remains to be seen whether or not Bayern ultimately give the green light on signing Zinchenko, who still has two years left to run on his £150,000 per week deal in North London, or whether the move is vetoed by whichever manager takes the reins in Bavaria.

However, it does appear increasingly clear that the Gunners are preparing for life without both he and his long-term teammate.

A new Manchester United update has come to light on what is set to happen this summer at Old Trafford, and it is not pretty reading for Erik ten Hag's players.

Raphael Varane confirms Manchester United exit

United's summer upheaval began on Tuesday when it was confirmed that Raphael Varane was leaving the club at the end of his current contract.

One of the best defenders in the world when he arrived from Real Madrid in a deal worth up to £42m, the Frenchman has struggled for consistency and game time at Old Trafford, and the club have deemed that they would be better off not extending his £340,000 per week deal in light of that, having missed out on a top-four finish in the Premier League that would have bought Champions League revenue with it.

Raphael Varane's United career

Games

93

Clean sheets

23

Games missed through injury

42

Goals

2

The Frenchman took to social media to announce his impending departure, explaining that:

"To you guys, supporters of Manchester United, it's been an amazing few years to play for this special club and wearing that shirt,"

"The first time I went to Old Trafford as a Man United player it was insane, the atmosphere was amazing. I fell in love with the club and the fans. You have to play for Man United to understand what that represents.

"Despite the fact we have had a difficult season, I am very positive for the future,"

"The new owners are coming with a clear plan and a great strategy."

"I will see you at Old Trafford to say goodbye in the last home game this season. And it's going to be a very emotional day for me, for sure."

His departure is expected to be the first in a long summer, but now insight has been given into just how many could leave the Red Devils before the new season.

Complete Man Utd overhaul incoming

Now, The Daily Mail's Chris Wheeler has revealed that departures this summer "could run into double figures" after Varane as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to rip up the old template and start again at Old Trafford.

That is certain to include out-of-contract pair Anthony Martial and Jonny Evans, while Sofyan Amrabat's loan will not be made permanent after an awful season at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd lead race to sign "wonderful" gem as Sir Jim Ratcliffe readies bid

He could be the next big thing at Old Trafford.

ByBen Browning May 14, 2024

It has even been claimed that most of the squad is up for sale, including the likes of Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, though they will not simply accept any offer for their stars.

In recent days, it has been Brazilian veteran Casemiro, the club's highest earner, who has been most strongly linked with a move away from the club amid interest from Saudi Arabian sides, and despite having two years left to run on his contract the Red Devils may opt to cash in on him after a series of awful performances.

Should he depart, it would see United free up around £950,000 per week in wages (his wages along with the combined £590,000 taken home by Martial and Varane), a total of almost £50m per year.

That figure will only be added to if Ratcliffe gets his way, and departures could mount up quickly at Old Trafford this summer.