Manchester United outcast Phil Jones ‘REFUSED to let Raphael Varane have his No 4 shirt’, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s new £42m man forced to take No 19 instead on completing Real Madrid move
By Toby Miles
Phil Jones turned a deaf ear to Raphael Varane’s request for his No 4 shirt, as the Old Trafford outcast was pushed further down the pecking order by the star’s Manchester United move.
Varane was unveiled to his expectant new Red Devils fans ahead of kick-off on Saturday, as Bruno Fernandes and Co got the old ground rocking with a 5-1 thrashing of Leeds.
The £42m Frenchman enjoyed the perfect introduction to Manchester and aims to replace Victor Lindelof alongside Harry Maguire in the coming games – and will wear the No 19 shirt when he does.
Varane asked United for No 4 – which he also wears for France – as their negotiations reached the late stages but Jones flat-out refused, according to MEN.
Jones has held the No 4, formerly worn by Steve Bruce, since arriving from Blackburn in 2011, but the 29-year-old hasn’t played for United in more than 18 months.
The centre-back endured a horrific 2018-19 season and was frozen-out by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The club still haven’t managed to drum-up interest in the player for a sale this summer, with his contract expiring in 2023.
Varane will likely inherit Jones’ shirt when United eventually managed to shift the fallen star Sir Alex Ferguson once said ‘could be our greatest player ever.’
The World Cup winner also wore 19 on his back during his first season with Real Madrid in 2011 as a young talent, having joined from Lens despite interest from United boss Ferguson.
He donned No 2 from 2012 to 2016 before finally settling on five. The No 4 shirt was reserved for Bernabeu icon Sergio Ramos during Varane’s stint in Spain, and he hoped to finally wear it in England.
Varane will have been impressed by his new club on Saturday, as he watched a searing 5-1 victory inspired by Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba.
The Portuguese star struck a hat-trick while Varane’s international team-mate Pogba racked-up four assists as Old Trafford welcomed back a full house of supporters.
