Manchester United appear to be headed for a heated transfer battle to sign top transfer prospect Jarrad Branthwaite.
While manager Ruben Amorim did not pursue the Everton centre-back during the January transfer window, Branthwaite has remained a target.
At the same time, Everton have reportedly been looking to hold onto the player, hoping that the prospect of moving to a new stadium would seem appealing to the player.
Although this could signal desperation on Everton’s part and hint at an impending transfer, it is not guaranteed that Man United will have an easy time signing Branthwaite, particularly given the interest expressed in the player from other elite clubs.
“Sources close to CaughtOffside have indicated that Liverpool and Tottenham will rival Man United in the summer window for the England international,” CaughtOffside reported today.
“Although Everton would be loathe to lose Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that there will be a battle for his services,” the article continued, confirming previous speculation that Branthwaite is on the way out.
Still, this hasn’t prevented the Merseyside club from attempting to retain the defender’s services beyond the current season.
“The Toffees plan to offer him a contract renewal until 2029/2030 to prevent other teams from pursuing him and because Branthwaite is seen as an important player for Everton’s future,” the report concluded.
While facing off with both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur for Branthwaite’s signature may seem challenging, these are not the only clubs who have been linked with the English defender.
A week ago, The Peoples Person mentioned that Manchester City have reportedly expressed an interest in signing Branthwaite.
What’s more, Real Madrid reportedly have the English defender on their radar.
Given the potentially low transfer budget that United are expected to work with this summer, winning a transfer race against Liverpool, Spurs, Man City, and Real Madrid could prove near impossible given their deep pockets.
Still, given Branthwaite’s questionable performances this season, including a poor showing against United at Old Trafford earlier in the current campaign, United may be best served looking for defensive reinforcements elsewhere.
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Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
