Manchester United are reportedly still dead set on targeting a transfer move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite in 2025, with Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof both set to leave Old Trafford.
That’s according to a report from HITC, with Branthwaite remaining a favourite of Man Utd director Dan Ashworth, though Everton also want to tie the talented young England international down to a new contract.
United also spent big on defenders this summer, bringing in both Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt, but it seems they will still need more options in that area of the pitch next season as both Maguire and Lindelof are set to move on.
Branthwaite will surely have other top clubs showing an interest in him if he continues to perform for Everton, but it will be interesting to see if United have by this point quite firmly established themselves as the front-runners for his signature.
Branthwaite transfer: Would he be a starter for Man United?
Still, one has to wonder how happy Branthwaite would be to move to United if he’s set to face competition from big names like De Ligt and Yoro for a starting place, while Lisandro Martinez will also surely continue to be a key player for Erik ten Hag’s side.
United might struggle to keep all these players happy, in which case Branthwaite seems like a bit of an expensive risk for the club to take, though others would of course argue that the best teams need plenty of depth like that.
Branthwaite himself, however, might do well to consider other opportunities, which will surely also present themselves at some point, instead of rushing into a move to Old Trafford, which has proven the wrong call for other talented young players in recent times like Jadon Sancho and Antony.