It’s fair to say that Manchester United's campaign has been much like a rollercoaster ride, even with results often not being matched by a convincing performance.
This was the case once again last weekend with Erik ten Hag’s team beating Everton 2-0 at home despite conceding 23 shots and Andre Onana having to make six saves.
But, in truth, injuries have played a big role in the lack of consistency, with the boss often having to alter his team due to different setbacks.
The defensive department has been hit particularly hard by the injury crisis, with Lisandro Martinez and Luke Shaw being the most prone.
With that in mind, there is one defender that United must look to sell in the summer, whose value is estimated to be less than Victor Lindelof’s.
Victor Lindelof’s estimated worth in 2024
In fairness to Lindelof, Ten Hag has been able to rely on him this season, even deploying him in an unorthodox role due to the fact that United don’t have a single available left-back in the squad.
The Swede has filled in due to the absence of Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, featuring as a left-sided defender on nine separate occasions this campaign.
Unfortunately, the 28-year-old’s performances at full-back haven’t been brilliant, especially against Manchester City, where he had a 70% pass accuracy and won zero tackles.
Nevertheless, according to CIES’ Football Observatory, Lindelof is estimated to be worth £17m, but there is one United centre-back who’s now worth even less than the club's number 2.
Man Utd hit the jackpot selling £30m ace who's now worth less than Maguire
The former Man United star was sold for £30m in 2021.
ByTom Lever Raphael Varane’s transfer value in 2024
Raphael Varane is currently enjoying his football at Man United, starting 14 games this campaign and featuring from the off in every game for the Red Devils since the 12th of December.
The "immense" World Cup winner, as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, is also on track for his best season in Manchester since joining the club for £34m in 2021.
That's notably the case with regards to avoiding frequent injuries, with the French defender only missing five games so far. That's in stark contrast to the 2022/23 campaign where he missed 14 matches due to fitness problems.
Now, it is estimated that Varane is now worth just £13m as per CIES Football Observatory, which is clearly less than Lindelof and most of the United squad, as shown by the table below.
Scott McTominay
£43m
Mason Mount
£26m
Casemiro
£17m
Victor Lindelof
£17m
Anthony Martial
£17m
Unfortunately, due to Varane’s age and the likelihood of another injury setback based on his recent history, his value is only set to decrease even further. That is why United must look to sell him or settle for him leaving on a free.
Furthermore, with Man United reportedly seeing the centre-back role as a priority position to improve upon in the summer, it will inevitably mean that one of the defenders will be forced out the door, and that player could be Varane.
There are a few reasons for this, with the first being the 30-year-old’s injury history over the years. With Ten Hag being put in a difficult position far too often this season due to injury-prone players, it’s an aspect that Sir Jim Ratcliffe will not want a repeat of next term.
However, the biggest issue is Varane’s current contract at United, which makes him the second-highest earner at the club and the fifth-highest earner in the entire Premier League, taking home £340k-per-week.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne
£400k
#2 Erling Haaland
£375k
#3 Casemiro
£350k
#4 Mohamed Salah
£350k
#5 Raphael Varane
£340k
#6 Raheem Sterling
£325k
#7 Rashford, B. Silva, Grealish
£300k
#8 Kai Havertz
£280k
#9 Gabriel Jesus
£265k
#10 Reece James
£250k
This equates to just short of £18m per season, and with his contract lasting until June 2025, the summer may be the last opportunity for United to recoup some money on the former Real Madrid star.
Market Movers
Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?
