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Manchester United have been dealt yet another devastating blow on the injury front, with Raphael Varane’s status worse than first thought.
The French defender was brought off after suffering an ankle injury against Sevilla in the Europa League midweek.
After the match, Erik ten Hag revealed that the Varane had been complaining of the issue for several weeks before the trip to Spain.
United’s medical staff needed to wait for the swelling to subside before giving an accurate prognosis, and it has not yielded good news.
It had been hoped that Varane could make a return this season but, cccording to The Mirror, scans suggest that Varane would be out for up to six weeks.
That would rule him out of all eight of Man United’s remaining Premier League games.
There remains a hope that – should United overcome Brighton and Hove Albion in the semi-final – Varane will be available for the final.
Even that appears to be a big “if,” however, meaning the world class central defender’s season could well be over.
This news will come as a devastating blow to everyone around Old Trafford, with the team still reeling from Lisandro Martinez’s season-ending metatarsal fracture.
The heart of Man United’s defence was essentially ripped out in Spain, and the Red Devils must now turn to unreliable backups and makeshift option to make do until the summer.
Ten Hag is likely to field Luke Shaw in defence alongside Victor Lindelof against Brighton, with Harry Maguire suspended for the encounter.
The captain will be available in the Premier League, while Casemiro deputised in defence a handful of times in his career.
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