Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has insisted that he does not have an issue with centre-back Raphael Varane.
The Frenchman was a regular fixture in the Man United side last season after striking up a dependable central-defensive partnership with Lisandro Martinez.
However, Varane has struggled for consistent game time this season due to injury and Ten Hag's selection decisions.
Varane has been named among the substitutes for three of Man United's last four matches, with Ten Hag preferring to use Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's Premier League meeting with Luton Town, Ten Hag responded to speculation about a possible breakdown in his relationship with Varane.
When asked whether there was an issue, Ten Hag told reporters: "Absolutely not. As I said, it is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry [Maguire] and Jonny [Evans] did well.
"Last year Harry didn't play a lot, so I was very happy with Rapha's performances. I have always been happy with his performance. But in this moment, Harry is playing very well and there is internal competition."
Varane came off the bench to replace the injured Evans in the opening 20 minutes of Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Copenhagen.
The former Real Madrid man is now in contention to start Saturday, with Evans, Martinez and Luke Shaw all ruled out through injury.
While the 30-year-old is set to get the nod, Ten Hag has suggested that a Maguire and Varane centre-back pairing would not be his preferred choice.
The Man United boss added: "There are moments in certain games where they can play together and they have already proven they can do it.
"But the buildup is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position because I think Licha [Martinez], obviously, Luke Shaw, obviously, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof, they are right-footed, but they can play really comfortably with their left and make the right angles, then you can construct a better formation where you can start to play."
Man United, who occupy eighth place in the Premier League, will be looking for a response against the Hatters following their midweek defeat in Denmark. body check tags ::
