Italian side confirm signing of former Man Utd and Real Madrid star

Como 1907 have completed the signing of French centre-back Raphael Varane on a free transfer, the club confirmed on Sunday.

Varane has signed a two-year deal with the club — who won promotion from Serie B to the Italian top-flight last season — after becoming a free agent following the expiry of his Manchester United contract.

A 93-time France international and World Cup winner, Varane will bring incredible pedigree to Como following a career that has seen him play 479 times for Real Madrid, Man Utd and Lens combined, winning a host of major honours along the way — including four Champions League titles.

“Raphaël is a special player and his signing is proof of the ambition we have for this club,” Como head coach Cesc Fabregas said in a statement on the club’s official website. “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.”

A spokesperson from the club’s ownership added: “We are excited to have Raphael in our family. His experience will greatly complement our ambitions to grow on and off the field.”

Varane reveals ‘special’ reason why he joined Como

Como 1907 is thrilled to announce the signing of French defender @raphaelvarane from Manchester United on a two year deal with an option to extend. pic.twitter.com/AcaVatSNcS

— Como1907 (@Como_1907) July 28, 2024

Varane has revealed Como’s ‘special’ project was the reason behind his decision to sign with the club, doubtless turning down other offers given his standing in the game and still being just 31 years old.

”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 teammates. There’s also the physical preparation for the season to look forward to,” Varane said.

“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.”