One senior star at Manchester United has reportedly found himself in Erik ten Hag's sights after breaking an unwritten rule that all players at Old Trafford must adhere to
More divisions could be on the horizon at Manchester United this winter season.
That's after one senior player at Old Trafford is suspected of breaking one of the club's golden rules while away with his family. Erik ten Hag has given his squad some time off amid a fortnight-long break from fixtures, but one star's choice of destination may have ruffled a few feathers back home.
Centre-back Raphael Varane used the break to hit the slopes with his wife of eight years, Camille, and their three children. The World Cup-winner snapped a couple of pictures of himself soaking up the snowy views from a ski resort, which may well have raised some alarms with his bosses, according to The Sun.
It's long been understood United players are unofficially prohibited from skiing during the season. The snow sport comes with a high risk of injury to the lower half of the body, and the Red Devils have already had to cope with a mountain of fitness concerns this season.
There's no proof Varane actually donned a pair of skis himself, though that hasn't diminished tensions in reaction to his Instagram story. The Frenchman has started just eight games in the Premier League this term, and Ten Hag can't afford to be without one of his senior defenders for the end-of-season run-in.
A representative for Varane told The Sun he had not taken to the slopes himself. United next play Newport County in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 28, while their next Premier League fixture is away to Wolves on February 1.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer infamously missed the second half of the 2022/23 campaign after fracturing his leg while skiing. The German stopper was on a ski tour with friends and family during the Bundesliga's winter break when disaster struck and robbed Bayern of one of their most important players for a lengthy spell.
United players can ski as they please during the summer break, but the hobby is strictly off the table mid-season. It was reported earlier in January the club won't trigger the one-year extension in Varane's £340,000-a-week contract, meaning he could leave Old Trafford on a free transfer this summer.