One of Manchester United’s biggest issues during this past decade is their inability to be a success in the transfer market.
Whether buying players or selling them, it has been a consistent mess, no matter who has been running the club, from the dugout or the boardroom.
One team Manchester United could probably learn from is Real Madrid, and Thierry Henry was keen to wax lyrical about how they get rid of their superstars from Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro and Raphael Varane when it doesn’t seem logical to do so.
The legendary striker claimed that the reason why Raphael Varane moved from Real Madrid to Manchester United was ’more of a knee issue’, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (06/03/24 at 7:15 pm).
The French defender, before his spate of injuries, was one of the best centre-backs in the world, but so much time in the treatment room took his toil on him and he proceeded to lose a yard of pace, and a bit more.
That didn’t stop Manchester United from paying £41 million for the World Cup winner in 2021, with Casemiro arriving for £70 million the following season.
Given that the Brazil midfielder was 30, at the time, then the fee the Premier League side were paying did surprise many.
But Thierry Henry was, once again, in awe of how Real Madrid parts ways with such legendary figures just before they seemingly drop off.
Raphael Varane and Casemiro transfers to Manchester United
“The one thing they do ever-so-well is they know when to get rid of players,” said Henry. “I am not talking about the players that are logical to get rid of.
“I am talking about it was time for Ronaldo. It was time for Casemiro. It was time for Ozil. It was time for Varane, which was more of a knee issue if I understand well.
“But if you think about those three – Modric, Kroos and Casemiro. They sold the youngest one. Why would you sell the youngest one?
“Well, they notified that those two can help the Valverde, the Tchouameni, Camavinga and they do that ever-so-well and you have to give them credit because when you get rid of the players that I mentioned before, they were outstanding players at that time for your team.”
Real Madrid are building another superstar team
From Jude Bellingham to Kylian Mbappe, the latter is yet to arrive, but sources have told HITC Football that he is Real Madrid-bound.
You add the French superstar to this already vibrant and all-action Madrid team, then it only equates to one thing and one thing only, more dominance.
Real Madrid have conquered Europe many times before and you feel they will be on another journey that not even Treble-winning Man City will stop them from getting to.
But they are an example to the rest of Europe on how to get transfer dealings done, no matter how ruthless.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
