Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite wants to join Manchester United this summer, and is waiting on the Premier League giants to make a move for him.
Branthwaite enjoyed an excellent first full season in the Everton senior set-up, making 41 appearances across all competitions as Sean Dyche’s men comfortably secured their top flight safety. This excellent campaign earned him a place in England’s preliminary squad for the Euros, and has also now sparked concrete interest from a number of clubs, with United reportedly having a £35 million offer rejected.According to Fabrizio Romano, INEOS are weighing up pursuing a potential deal further, depending on the Toffees’ demands. The journalist reports that the 21-year-old is waiting for the Red Devils to make their move, as he’s keen to join the fellow north west club.
Emerging through the Carlisle United academy, Branthwaite joined Everton in January 2020, and has since made 54 appearances for the Liverpool-based club. The bulk of these appearances came last season, after the England defender excelled the previous year on loan at PSV Eindhoven.
Labelled as “outstanding” by England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley, Branthwaite has been praised for his physicality, ability on the ball and dominance in the air. These attributes have attracted Manchester United, who are in the market for a central defender who can partner Lisandro Martinez long-term.
Speaking on his Transfer Live show, Romano revealed that Branthwaite wants the move to Old Trafford and is waiting on INEOS to initiate a deal. The transfer guru said:
“This upcoming week, Manchester United internally will discuss again about what they want to do with Jarrad Branthwaite. The player keeps waiting for Manchester United. He keeps believing that Manchester United is a fantastic option for his future, so he wants to go to Manchester United.
“But it also depends on Everton, and we have to see if Everton will change the conditions of the deal, because for £70 million, United are not going for Branthwaite. So, it has to be something different in terms of package, and we will see what happens.”
Whether or not United will indeed stretch to £70 million remains to be seen, but it does appear that the club are lining up potential alternatives to the Englishman, if they deem the deal to be financially implausible. The likes of Jean-Clair Todibo, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt have all been rumoured to be the subject of United interest.Jarrad Branthwaite’s strong performance for Everton last season has caught the attention of Manchester United, who are reportedly considering a move for the young defender. Branthwaite’s physicality, ball-playing ability, and aerial dominance make him an appealing long-term partner for Lisandro Martinez. Despite a £35 million offer being rejected, Branthwaite is eager to join United, but Everton’s demands could make the transfer challenging. United might consider alternatives like Jean-Clair Todibo, Leny Yoro, and Matthijs de Ligt if the deal for Branthwaite proves too costly.
