The Italian club have confirmed the signing of the former Man Utd and Real Madrid player

Como 1907 have completed the signing of French defender Raphael Varane on a free transfer, the club confirmed on Sunday.

Varane has signed a two-year deal with the club – who won promotion from Serie B to Italy's top flight last season – after becoming a manager after his Manchester United contract expired.

Varane, who has won 93 caps for France and the World Cup, will bring an impressive pedigree to Como following a career that has seen him play for Real Madrid, Man Utd and Lens a combined 479 times, winning a host of major awards along the way – including four. Champions League titles.

“Raphaël is a special player and his signing is proof of the desire we have for this club,” Como coach Cesc Fabregas said in a statement on the club's website. “He is highly decorated and the experience he brings to the two top leagues in the world cannot be underestimated. I can't wait to start working with him.”

A spokesperson for the club's ownership added: “We are delighted to have Raphael in our family. His experience will be very relevant to our ambitions to grow on and off the pitch.”

Varane reveals a 'special' reason why he joined Como

Como 1907 is very pleased to announce the signing of the French defender @raphaelvarane from Manchester United on a two-year contract with an option to extend it. pic.twitter.com/AcaVatSNcS

— Como1907 (@Como_1907) July 28, 2024

Varane revealed that Como's 'special' project was the reason behind his decision to sign with the club, no doubt turning down other offers due to his standing in the game and the fact that he is only 31 years old.

“I am very happy and excited about this new project, and I can't wait to get started and meet the team and my colleagues. There is also preparation for the season that we should look forward to,” said Varane.

“At first I was curious to know what this job was about, then I quickly realized that it was special, different from any other offered to me, so I wanted to know more.” The more I learned about this job, the more interesting it became, it gave me a different perspective on what I wanted to do. When the job came, he went straight to the top of the list, and we were able to close the deal. I am very happy. There's a lot to do, and a lot of fun. I have a lot of experience at the highest level, and now to be able to share that knowledge and help the club build itself and hopefully reach the top is very exciting.

“I meet Cesc again, but not as a rival this time. I am very happy, I really like his philosophy of play and his love for football. When we talked it was very easy to understand each other, so I hope we will have very good results. In any case, I come humbly to help the team grow.”