Manchester United defender Raphael Varane could reportedly leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season.

The Frenchman spent 10 years with Spanish giants Real Madrid before completing a move to the 20-time English champions in 2021.

Varane, who joined in an initial deal worth £34m, was understood to have signed a four-year deal worth around £250,000 a week.

Upon his arrival, Man United said the centre-back had penned a contract "keeping him at the club until June 2025".

However, according to The Athletic, Varane's Man United contract is set to expire a year earlier than previously stated.

Instead of having a deal until 2025, the player's current agreement runs until the end of the 2023-24 season with an option to extend by a further year.

The report claims that the exact terms of Varane's one-year option are unclear, but it is likely to be based on a set number of appearances or it could come down to the club to make a decision over triggering an extension.

As it stands, the experienced defender could walk away from the club on a free transfer when his deal expires in June 2024.

From January, the 30-year-old will be able to talk to foreign clubs about the possibility of signing a pre-contract agreement.

Having struggled for playing time this season, Varane has seen his Man United future draw a significant amount of speculation.

The former Real Madrid man was a key figure in the Man United side during Erik ten Hag's first season in charge, as he struck up a dependable central defensive partnership with Lisandro Martinez.

However, Varane has been restricted to eight starts in his 13 competitive appearances this season, leading to rumours that Man United could decide to sell him in the January transfer window.

While he has been linked with Bayern Munich and clubs from the Saudi Pro League, Varane has indicated he wants to stay at Old Trafford until the end of the season.

Following a spell out of the side, the centre-back was given the chance to start Tuesday's disappointing 1-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern.

After crashing out of Europe, Man United will look to bounce back when they travel to Anfield for Sunday's clash with Premier League rivals Liverpool. body check tags ::