According to Caught Offside, Manchester United is still interested in acquiring Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Last year, the Red Devils made the decision to improve their defence and made an effort to get the Englishman. But the Toffees wouldn’t let him go, so United had to look into other possibilities.
They eventually bought Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro. The Frenchman, meanwhile, is still quite young and has struggled to handle the brutality of the Premier League. De Ligt, on the other side, had a strong start to the season but has recently missed time due to injury.
In addition to the two, United’s current alternatives for a specialist centre defender include Lisandro MartÃnez, Ayden Heaven, and Harry Maguire. However, Maguire has been sidelined by injuries in recent months, while MartÃnez has battled injury issues in previous years.
The former Leicester City player may depart for free when his current contract expires at the conclusion of this season. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United has begun looking for ways to bolster its defence because Maguire’s future is still uncertain.
Man Utd keen on signing Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite
The Toffees have reportedly set an asking price of £70 million, so a move for the Everton defender could be hefty, but there are signs he might succeed at Old Trafford. After a loan stint at PSV Eindhoven, scout Ben Mattinson hailed the Englishman as a two-footed muscular beast. Since then, the centre-back has drawn attention while wearing an Everton shirt.
Branthwaite already has 75 Premier League outings under his belt, but Man United could be better off holding off on pursuing a transfer until the summer because it’s unclear how he will return from a protracted injury layoff.
Nevertheless, he is a very gifted player, and if Manchester United decides to buy him, it may be a wise move. It would be intriguing to observe, nevertheless, whether the Old Trafford team takes a firm stance to acquire his services in the upcoming season.
