Late-window fireworks at Man Utd, with Ten Hag ‘actively pushing’ for remarkable Premier League signing
A bombshell report has revealed Manchester United are locked in talks with Everton to sign Jarrad Branthwaite before Thursday’s transfer deadline, and a shock new price tag has also emerged.
Man Utd are known to be in the market for a new centre-back. Raphael Varane could leave the club this summer, as clubs in Saudi Arabia are trying to tempt him with a lucrative contract offer, while Erik ten Hag must also begin to move away from 36-year-old defender Jonny Evans.
Man Utd hold an interest in Jean-Clair Todibo as they look to bring in a new centre-half who can rival Lisandro Martinez and Harry Maguire for a starting spot. However, no concrete move for the Frenchman has materialised just yet.
Instead, Man Utd appear to be prioritising Branthwaite, the impressive young Englishman who has been shining at Everton this term.
Earlier this month, Ten Hag and Sir Jim Ratcliffe were at odds over which defender to sign, with the manager eyeing Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and the part-owner hoping to land Branthwaite.
But now Ten Hag and Ratcliffe have come together and agreed on the right player to pursue, and this has seen them launch a move for Branthwaite.
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According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Man Utd are pushing hard to try and strike an agreement with Everton for the England U21 international, and he could arrive at Old Trafford before the transfer window shuts later this week.
The report adds that Ten Hag has completed a U-turn on Branthwaite and is now ‘actively pushing’ for the transfer to reach completion.
Man Utd learn new Jarrad Branthwaite price
It has previously been suggested that Everton will hold out for a massive £100million when selling the player. However, it is now claimed that Man Utd can actually sign him for just £40m including bonuses.
That would represent fantastic value in the current market. The 21-year-old is one of the best young defenders in the Premier League, and he has the potential to be worth double that £40m sum.
Plus, Man Utd have spent far more on defenders in the past, such as Maguire (£80m) and Martinez (£57m).
Man Utd capturing Branthwaite this month would represent a terrific end to the transfer window for the club. Their fans have not been expecting many deals, as it was thought that Ratcliffe’s influence would truly be felt from the summer onwards.
But it seems Ratcliffe wants to give Ten Hag’s squad an immediate boost to help them improve in the second half of the campaign, and Branthwaite would certainly provide extra stability at the back.