Rio Ferdinand has questioned Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag's decision to bench Raphael Varane.
The four-time Champions League winner has largely been one of the first names on the team-sheet since arriving from Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, but has been overlooked in recent weeks, with Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof and even Jonny Evans all being preferred.
Reports of a feud between the ex-France international and the United boss have been dismissed, with Ten Hag publicly stating it is just a 'tactical decision'. However, it appears Varane's stock has certainly declined in the eyes of his manager.
Ten Hag's explanation didn't wash with Ferdinand however, who claimed that Varane will be stunned he has his lost his place in the line-up to a 35-year-old Evans.
Pressed for comment on what he makes of the situation, Ferdinand told his Vibe with FIVE YouTube show: "We don’t know. If he’s on the bench, you think he must be fit.
"In my mind, when you’re on the bench you can play – because you could have to come on in the first minute if someone gets injured. So if you’re fit enough to travel and get on the bench, you’re fit [to play]. So I don’t know what the reason is.
"But I know that Varane is waking up and his head has got scramblers going off it in, because he’s thinking: 'I’ve banged out four Champions League medals, I’ve played an integral part in all of those, I’ve played with the best players in the world, I’ve come to Man United and Jonny Evans is starting in front of me!'
"No disrespect [to Evans]. Regardless of what Evans has done, there is no way Jonny Evans was ever in Varane’s mind. He would never have been thinking about Jonny Evans."
Questions have been put to Ten Hag over Varane's absence in recent pressers and the United boss put to bed any talk of a fall-out between the pair of them.
"Absolutely not," he claimed. "As I said, it is about tactical reasons why I chose these partnerships. I think Harry and Jonny did well. "
Ten Hag went on to add that while he is happy with the standards set by Varane, right now Maguire has done nothing to justify being dropped from the side.