Stats show Raphael Varane is already making a difference at Manchester United

Raphael Varane’s arrival at Manchester United was welcomed by supporters – the 28-year-old was earmarked as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-choice target in defence and although it’s still early days, he’s already making a difference.

Varane’s resume is unmatched in the Premier League and on top of adding a serial winner to the dressing room, United finally have another world-class defender alongside Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw.

In previous seasons, one of the main criticisms of United has been their slow build-up. Usually, that comes down to a team starting their attacking sequences further back in the pitch with an intention to pass their way forward.