Manchester United are interested in extending the deal of French centre-back Raphael Varane and plan to open talks over a new deal next month, according to the Daily Mail.
However, the Red Devils regard his current £340,000-a-week wages as hard to justify given the injury problems that have restricted him to just seven Premier League starts this season.
As a result, Man United want to renegotiate fresh terms which would see him take a pay cut.
Varane’s current contract at the Old Trafford club expires at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.
However, it contains a clause which gives them the option to automatically extend it by another 12 months.
They have declined to take it up by the January 1 deadline and the former France international is now free to hold talks with foreign clubs over a summer transfer from tomorrow.
Varane can leave for free at the end of the season if both parties cannot reach an agreement over a new deal.
David de Gea was in a similar situation before he left the club as a free agent last summer.
The Spanish goalkeeper also had an option of an additional 12 months in his contract, but Man United refused to trigger the extension clause as they wanted to reduce his £375,000-a-week wages.
He was offered a new contract on reduced wages but refused to accept it and left the club.
It remains to be seen whether Varane will accept their proposal, but the club are also seeking to reduce the wages of other high earners in a bid to free up resources for new signings next summer.
Man United are battling to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, and they are desperate to reduce their wage bills to avoid breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
