Raphael Varane has revealed the Manchester United dressing room is already embracing Erik ten Hag’s new ideas and new style.
Ten Hag was appointed as Red Devils boss at the end of last season, given the arduous task of picking United up after their worst ever Premier League season. And the early signs have been positive, with his first three pre-season games seeing 11 goals scored and just one conceded.
As well as results on the pitch, Ten Hag is beginning to stamp his influence off it. The Dutchman has thus far signed three players, with Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez arriving at Old Trafford.
The latter of that trio looks set to put pressure on Varane and his position as a regular starter. Signed from Real Madrid last summer, the Frenchman - when fit - was the undisputed starter alongside skipper Harry Maguire.
But after confirming Maguire will remain as captain and claiming Martinez has arrived to ‘improve the team, not the squad’, Varane’s place appears under threat. There is no resentment from the World Cup winner however, who is relishing working under the new boss and the extra competition he now has for his starting berth.
"I think a new manager, with new ideas and a new style, [he] is very positive and he wants this energy and to press high on the pitch, to keep pushing and to be proactive for 90 minutes,” he told BBC Sport.
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“We know exactly what we have to do and I think that we need to work very hard. Confidence is something important and we lost confidence when we lost some games.
“I think a lot of things that we could do better and, obviously, we want to improve for the next season, we need consistency and to build up confidence.”
Varane added: "Competition is good for the team. Harry is a very important player for us. He's the captain and obviously he has a lot of good qualities.
"The team will always be better with this competition. Every great club is like this. If everyone wants to fight for the team, that's a good thing."
The 29-year-old endured a forgettable first season in English football, with injuries derailing any hope of building a formidable partnership with Maguire. Varane’s Bernabeu exit also meant he swapped winning the Champions League, for not qualifying for the competition at all.
But asked if he had any regrets about joining United, he said: "No, absolutely not. In football, you have to challenge yourself and try to improve. I wanted to live another experience after 10 years in the same place.
"The Premier League is absolutely fantastic and Manchester United are a great club. There was no doubt about my decision."
