Merson tipped Man Utd duo as new Vidic and Ferdinand, Red Devils boss doesn’t agree

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Approaching midway through his third season at Manchester United, Raphael Varane finds himself fighting for his place.

There has been something noticeable ever since Erik ten Hag took over as manager in 2022, that he feels Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire are a poor fit together.

Ten Hag addressed this in his first summer, signing Lisandro Martinez, who forged a partnership alongside Varane. It looked like the perfect fit.

But with Martinez suffering an injury that required surgery, Ten Hag has been forced back to the drawing board.

Ten Hag reluctant to go with Maguire and Varane

Erik ten Hag has been impressed by Harry Maguire’s performances in recent months, with the defender earning his place back in the team the hard way, having come close to an exit in the summer.

Maguire has become a must-starter, with Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof utilised alongside him. Varane is the third choice option, and now Luke Shaw is back form injury, you wonder if he is even further down the list.

Speaking to the United website last month, Ten Hag said while not opposed to playing the pair together, it is not his preference.

He said: “They can play together in certain games, but I thought from the start when I came in here, I want a player on the left side of my defence, who is comfortable on the left side of their foot because it gives you more and better angles and that is the reason I explained from the start.

“That’s why I [brought in] Licha Martinez, to have that left-footed [centre-back].”

Maguire and Varane were tipped for greatness

The manager’s assessment of Maguire and Varane is his to make. He will have spent hours analysing their pairing together in 2021/22, a season which saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked and Ralf Rangnick placed in interim charge.

There were such high hopes for the pairing when Varane signed. Via the The Daily Star, Merson wrote: “Raphael Varane will turn Manchester United into title contenders — he’s the signing of the summer in the Premier League.

“United now have a new Vidic and Ferdinand partnership to rely on at the back. Maguire can get tight to people and Varane can sweep up behind with his pace.”

Time is running out for the duo to prove they can be a relevant pairing together, let alone a great one.

At the moment it seems like ‘either or’, with only one of Maguire or Varane to be selected.

Manchester United are widely tipped to sign a new centre-back next summer, which would bring the curtain down once and for all on a potential Maguire and Varane pairing, with at least one of the duo likely to move on.