Rafael drops hint over Manchester United future

Posted Sunday, July 12, 2015 by squawka.com

Manchester United’s Rafael has taken to Instagram to drop a hint as to where his future lies, posting an image of himself in a Red Devils kit with a message that suggests he’s willing to fight for his place in the side.

The Brazilian posted the following message:

The 25-year-old endured an incredibly tough season at Old Trafford last term under Louis van Gaal, with the likes of Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young operating as make-shift full-backs and wing-backs at times.

It was clearly a problem position for Van Gaal, which has been addressed by the arrival of Matteo Darmian from Italian club Torino.

As a result of that, Rafael has since been linked with a move away from the club, with Galatasaray believed to be one of the interested parties, as reported by the Guardian. However, the latest message from the Brazilian international suggests that he’s up for the fight to regaining his place in the first-team.

The 25-year made just 10 Premier League appearances for United last term, creating six chances and averaging six defensive actions-per-game, making a total of one defensive error.

In Rafael’s absence, Van Gaal’s men finished the season in fourth place, qualifying for the Champions League after a year out of Europe. However they will have to overcome a two-legged qualifier at the start of the coming season to make it through to the group stages.

United begin their Premier League season with a home clash against Tottenham next month, and Rafael will be hoping to be in contention for a place in the side. Ironically, his final appearance last term came in the 3-0 home win over Spurs back in March.