Cristiano Ronaldo to join back up with Raphael Varane? Man Utd defender linked with shock Saudi switch as Al-Nassr among potential January suitors

Raphael Varane could reportedly reunite with Cristiano Ronaldo as Al-Nassr emerge as potential suitors for the Manchester United defender.

WHAT HAPPENED? According toTeamtalk, several Saudi clubs have set their sights on the 30-year-old centre-back with Ronaldo's Al-Nassr being the front-runners to sign him in the upcoming January transfer window. The Red Devils have got off to their worst start in six decades losing eight of their first 15 matches in the season and there have been reports of a fractured dressing room as discontentment continues to grow under Erik ten Hag's reign.

It was reported that the squad has been unhappy over Ten Hag's team selections and particularly the treatment Varane has been meted out in the last couple of weeks where he was dropped against Manchester City before being completely left out for the Carabao Cup encounter against Newcastle United despite being fully fit.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Varane's entourage has been approached by a few Champions League clubs as well but Saudi Arabia could potentially offer him a more lucrative financial deal that would be hard for him to turn down. He currently earns over £300,000 per week at Old Trafford.

The report mentions that several promises made to Varane when he was signed in 2021 have not been met as the gulf between United and the other Premier League powerhouses has considerably increased in the last couple of years. Moreover, United could even undergo a complete squad overhaul as the disgruntled players are likely to leave in search of new challenges and it is unlikely that the 2018 World Cup winner would undergo that process at this stage in his career where he is looking for stability.

Varane's current deal with United runs until 2025 and the board