Manchester United are reportedly expected to revisit their interest in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite in a shock twist that will leave fans scratching their heads.
A Long-Term Target
The Red Devils made numerous attempts to sign Branthwaite, 23, in the summer of 2024, tabling two separate bids for the England international.
The highest offer was £50 million – £45m plus £5m in add-ons – but Everton were holding out for £70m, and United withdrew their interest as a result.
The club then pivoted towards LOSC Lille starlet Leny Yoro – the outstanding centre-back prospect in Europe that summer, as evidenced by intense interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain – and agreed a deal worth around £60m for the 19-year-old defender.
Yoro’s capture, a coup for INEOS in their first transfer window at the helm, was then followed up by a deal for Bayern Munich centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, effectively ending any need for Branthwaite.
But United continued to be linked to the Everton star, who has also caught the attention of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and even Real Madrid, despite two expensive options already arriving at Old Trafford.
And Mark Brus (CaughtOffside) now reports sources at Old Trafford reveal United are preparing a £60m bid for Branthwaite, described as “unsettled” at Goodison Park, in the January transfer window.
But the logic which saw United move on from the defender last year should still apply this season, making this choice a difficult one to understand.
An Unnecessary Signing
There is no doubting Branthwaite’s quality.
He is one of the best young defenders in the Premier League, combining physicality and technical ability in the prototype for a modern centre-back. There is a reason top clubs across the country, and even on the continent, are keeping tabs on the 23-year-old.
But United’s struggles this season have not primarily stemmed from the centre-back position. And there a host of options at LCB – Branthwaite’s position with Everton – with Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez and Ayden Heaven all preferring this role within Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
De Ligt, Yoro and even fullback Noussair Mazraoui are also capable of filling in on this side as well.
The idea that United would invest a huge sum on a player who might offer a marginal upgrade in a position of strength, while areas of weakness like central midfield go unaddressed, is a bizarre one.
A £60m move for Branthwaite is a logical choice for interested clubs; it just makes little sense United are one, despite the English defender’s impressive skillset.
Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
