Ten Hag ‘can’t rely’ on ‘soft’ Man Utd star as ‘agents push’ Red Devils to ‘sack’ Dutch manager

Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, has received a warning that he “can’t rely” on French international Raphael Varane, who is perceived as “soft” and has been criticized for making excuses.

Varane, signed from Real Madrid in 2021 for an initial fee of around £34m, was once considered among the best center-backs globally.

Last season, Varane, alongside Lisandro Martinez, was a preferred choice for Ten Hag, but injuries have affected his form in recent years.

At the beginning of this campaign, he has found himself behind a resurgent Harry Maguire.

Former United defender Paul Parker, expressing concern for Ten Hag, who is currently the favorite in the Premier League sack race, advised against relying on Varane, who has been criticized for his remarks about extra minutes in games.

“Before the season even started, Varane was already moaning because of the extra minutes being added to the game,” Parker said.

“He seems a bit soft to me, and with the amount of games already, something must be wrong.

Right now, the manager is letting him sit there on the touchline, and there must be a reason for that.”

As Ten Hag faces increasing pressure due to Manchester United’s poor start to the 2023/24 campaign, Parker believes that agents are actively working to influence the club’s decision to sack the manager.

“I think that agents are causing a lot of problems, and there are many who would love one of their managers to coach Manchester United,” Parker claimed.

“Especially now with the new ownership, a lot of agents are approaching Man United and trying to push for them to sack Erik ten Hag. It’s cruel but that’s how it is.”