Ex-Man Utd star Raphael Varane hobbles off injured just 20 minutes into Como debut after being released on free transfer

RAPHAEL VARANE hobbled off injured just 20 minutes into his Como debut.

Varane left Manchester United after three years in the Premier League.

He joined newly-promoted Serie A side Como – managed by ex-Arsenal and Chelsea star Cesc Fabregas.

But Varane’s debut against Sampdoria ended in disaster after coming off injured before the break.

Fabregas was hailed by fans for his influence in signing Varane on a free transfer.

And he said himself: “Raphael is a special player and his signing is proof of the ambition we have for this club.

“He is highly decorated and the experience he brings in two of the best leagues in the world can not be underestimated.

“I can’t wait to start working with him.”

Varane added: ”I’m very happy and excited about this new project, and I can’t wait to get started and meet up with the team and my team-mates.

“There’s also the physical preparation for the season to look forward to.

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“At first, I was curious to find out what the project was all about, and then I immediately saw that it was special, different from any other I’d been offered, so I wanted to know more.

“The more I learned about the project, the more interesting it became, giving me a different perspective on what I wanted to do.

“Once the project came along, it went straight to the top of the list, and we managed to close the deal.

“I’m very happy. There’s a lot to do, and it’s very exciting. I have a lot of experience at the highest level, and now to be able to share that knowledge and help a club build itself up and hopefully reach the top is super exciting.

“I’m meeting Cesc again, but not as an opponent this time. I’m very happy, I really like his philosophy of play and his passion for football.

“When we spoke it was so easy to understand each other, so I hope we’ll have very positive results.

“In any case, I’m coming with a great deal of humility to help the team and the club grow.”

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