Even if we are just a handful of games into the new season, there’s no denying that Raphaël Varane appears reinvigorated under Erik ten Hag.
The Frenchman is almost a different player to the one Manchester United fans were used to last season, hindered by multiple injuries and never able to find the consistency he needed to fully adapt at Old Trafford.
However, a full pre-season under the Dutchman has worked wonders for the Frenchman, who, aside from being an undisputed starter for his club these days, has now regained prominence under Didier Deschamps.
A calming presence in his country’s 2-0 win over Austria, the 29-year-old was sorely missed in the following game against Denmark, as his manager gave other players a chance to impress ahead of the World Cup.
In fact, Le Parisien, in an article on Tuesday, believe he is one of 17 players already guaranteed a spot on the plane to Qatar (barring injures, of course).
They state the Manchester United defender, ‘with a better summer preparation’, is ‘becoming important again’ for France.
The same, however, cannot be said for Antony Martial, who despite impressing in his brief cameo against Liverpool, has barely played for Ten Hag due to injury.
That hasn’t helped his stock ahead of the World Cup, and Le Parisien explain that he, alongside Thomas Lemar and Corentin Tolisso, have ‘disappeared from the international stage’ for the time being.
Contrasting futures for two players on the same team, and while there’s still time to turn this around, it will be a massive shock to many if Martial makes it anywhere near Deschamps’ squad for November.
