The January transfer window officially opened for business last week and this has provided Manchester United with the chance to improve their squad.
Erik ten Hag's side endured a disappointing first half of the 2023/24 campaign and will surely be hoping to fare better over the next five months.
The Red Devils are currently eighth in the Premier League and have lost a staggering nine of their opening 20 matches in the division.
They were also knocked out of Europe as the Dutch head coach led them to one win in six Champions League matches to finish bottom of the group.
United now have an opportunity to provide their team with a fresh injection of quality to bolster their chances of achieving success over the coming months.
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However, January is a difficult window to navigate, due to teams not wanting to lose their best players midway through a season, and this means that they could be forced to wait until the summer if the right deal does not come up.
Manchester United transfer news – Andreas Christensen
The Red Devils are reportedly interested in a deal to sign Barcelona central defender Andreas Christensen to improve their options at the back.
Spanish outlet Sport claim that United are 'very interested' in a swoop to bring the Denmark international back to the Premier League this month.
Ten Hag's side are eyeing a move for the impressive titan to add to their defensive ranks but they are not the only team in the running as Newcastle United are also said to be keen on him.
The report claims that Barcelona need to cash in on two of their high-valued assets in order to go back into the market to bolster their own squad.
Christensen, who has a mammoth £430m release clause, is one of the players who could be on the chopping block to raise funds as they signed him on a free transfer from Chelsea, which means that his sale would be a net profit for the LaLiga giants.
However, they are reluctant to sell him this month and Sport claim that a decision on his future could be made in the summer, which suggests that United may have to wait until the end of the season to secure his signature.
That would align with the expiry of Raphael Varane's contract at Old Trafford. The Daily Mail reported that the club have opted against triggering an automatic 12-month extension of his deal.
He is currently on £340k-per-week and the Red Devils have decided that they are not able to justify those wages due to his injury issues.
The report did state that United would like to keep him on an extended deal but it would need to be on a reduced wage and it remains to be seen whether or not Varane is willing to accept that.
Ten Hag should allow the French defender to depart on a free transfer and look to bring Christensen in, whether that is this month or in the summer, as a perfect replacement.
Raphael Varane's season in numbers
The former Real Madrid enforcer has not been able to establish himself as a regular starter for the head coach at the heart of the United defence.
Appearances
24
Sofascore rating
6.85
Interceptions per game
0.5
Tackles per game
1.0
Duel success rate
64%
He has made 11 Premier League appearances and started seven matches in the top-flight so far this term, as the likes of Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire, and Victor Lindelof have been selected ahead of him at times.
In those 11 clashes, Varane has averaged 1.4 tackles and interceptions combined and 3.9 ball recoveries per match for his side, to go along with 3.8 clearances per game.
The 30-year-old defender has also won 2.3 duels per outing at a success rate of 69%, which shows that he has been able to dominate opposition defenders in physical contests.
Varane has been decent, without being outstanding, in his use of the ball in possession. Over the last 365 days, he ranks within the top 28% of centre-backs in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes (4.26) per 90 and the top 34% for pass success rate (87.5%).
The statistics that show why Christensen could replace Varane
Christensen could now perfectly replace the France international as he has similar defensive attributes whilst having the quality to offer more to the team in possession.
The Danish colossus has made 15 appearances in LaLiga so far this season and averaged 1.4 tackles and interceptions combined and 4.1 ball recoveries per match.
This shows that the former Chelsea man, who was once described as "extraordinary" by manager Xavi, cuts out opposition attacks and wins the ball back for his side at a similar rate to Varane at the heart of the defence.
Christensen has also won 62% of his duels, including 76% of his aerial contests, and this means that he is a strong defender who can dominate opposition forwards in physical battles, which is a quality the ex-Real Madrid star has provided on the pitch at Old Trafford.
Appearances
19
Pass success rate
90%
Interceptions per game
1.5
Tackles per game
0.7
Duel success rate
58%
As you can see from the table above, the 27-year-old titan also has relatively recent experience in the Premier League – with 93 appearances in total – and could hit the ground running at Old Trafford as he knows the division and country.
Christensen could also offer more than Varane in possession as he ranks within the top 7% of his positional peers in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions for progressive passes (5.53) per 90 and the top 1% for pass success rate (94.9%).
His progressive passing statistics are incredible when you combine them with his pass success rate as it shows that the Barcelona star is a forward-thinking passer who also rarely gives the ball away despite taking risks to move his team up the pitch.
Overall, Christensen could be a perfect replacement for Varane due to his skills in and out of possession and his prior experience in English football with Chelsea.
