Man Utd fans say ‘Erik ten Hag loves starting beef with players’ after spotting ‘ice cold’ moment with Raphael Varane
MANCHESTER UNITED fans have claimed “Erik ten Hag loves starting beef with players” after spotting an “ice cold” moment between him and Raphael Varane.
Ten Hag was involved previously in an explosive public spat with Cristiano Ronaldo last season, which resulted in the Portuguese legend famously slamming him during an interview with Piers Morgan.
The club backed their manager and the forward was eventually released and ended up signing a mega-money deal with Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Nassr.
And he has hit the headlines again this term with United now set to offload Jadon Sancho, 23, once Sir Jim Ratcliffe completes his £1.3billion buy-in for a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils.
The winger has been axed from United’s WhatsApp group after already being barred from training with the senior side or using any of their facilities, including the canteen.
Sancho was outcasted after a stand-off that started when he was left out of the squad for September’s 3-1 loss at Arsenal when Ten Hag said his training was not up to standard when quizzed on his absence.
Sancho then posted on social media in response: “I will not allow people saying things that are completely untrue, I conducted myself in training very well this week.”
Even though the England ace, whose last cap came over two years ago, deleted the post, Ten Hag called for an apology that never came and he has left him exiled ever since.
Now a clip has gone viral from United’s 4-3 defeat at Copenhagen in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Raphael Varane, 30, was left on the bench by Ten Hag but an injury to Jonny Evans led to the French World Cup winner being introduced early doors.
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However, the ex-Real Madrid defender looked emotionless while he was getting kitted up on the sidelines, and he barely acknowledged his manager or members of his coaching staff, even when the Dutchman patted him on the back, in the seconds before his introduction.
A fan shared the footage on social media and began to speculate by captioning it with: “Just look how frosty relations appear to be between Ten Hag, his assistant and Varane (cold as ice).”
Another supporter seemed to be in agreement as they replied: “Ten Hag loves starting beef with players.”
A fellow Red Devil wrote: “That few seconds says alot about the dressing room. Since Sancho’s exile things have been abysmal.”
As another response said: “Yeah I felt that when I saw it.”
But not everybody agreed with some accusing the fan that shared the footage of trying to make a mountain out of a molehill.
“Is it only me that sees nothing wrong here,” said one unconcerned United follower.
Another wrote: “I think you are reaching here.”
While another blasted: “Nonsense. Varane is putting on his kit… yet because he doesn’t make ten Hag the best man at his wedding and his Assistant the godfather of his first born in this 20 second clip, we are supposed to conclude there are issues.”
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