Manchester United Are Optimistic About Securing A Discounted £40 Million Deal For Their First Signing Under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Manchester United are reportedly considering a discounted deal for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite this summer. With new minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking full control of football operations at Old Trafford, a squad overhaul ahead of the 2024-25 campaign is imminent, regardless of whether manager Erik ten Hag remains at the club.
Securing at least one new central defender is believed to be a priority for Man United, particularly with Raphael Varane set to leave upon the expiration of his contract in June. Additionally, Jonny Evans is also out of contract next month, while there remains uncertainty surrounding the long-term futures of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
Ratcliffe has reportedly already pinpointed several players he aims to pursue in the upcoming transfer window, with Everton’s Branthwaite among those on his radar.
Man United are leading the race to sign Branthwaite
As per The Sun, Ratcliffe is at the forefront of negotiations to secure Branthwaite as his inaugural signing at Man United, potentially for a reduced fee of £40 million.
While Everton had previously valued Branthwaite as high as £80 million, United are confident they can exploit the Toffees’ financial situation and secure the highly-regarded defender for half the price.
Everton, who reported a post-tax loss of £89.1 million in March, are urgently seeking to generate funds to maintain financial stability, especially as 777 Partners face challenges in finalizing the acquisition of the club from majority owner Farhad Moshiri.
Consequently, the club may be compelled to offload some of their key players, including Branthwaite and others like Amadou Onana, who has also been linked with Man United. This could involve players such as Jordan Pickford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Dwight McNeil, in order to balance their financial books.
Branthwaite: A Rising Talent for Club and Country
Branthwaite has emerged as one of the most promising young defenders in the Premier League, playing a crucial role in Everton’s successful bid to avoid relegation during his breakthrough season at the club.
The 21-year-old previously gained experience on loan spells at Blackburn Rovers and PSV Eindhoven. During the 2022-23 season, he featured prominently for PSV, making 36 appearances for the first team.
Returning to Everton last summer, Branthwaite swiftly established himself as a key figure in Sean Dyche’s starting lineup, starting 41 matches across all competitions and contributing to the team’s 15 clean sheets.
Standing at an imposing 6 feet 5 inches, the centre-back still has three years left on his contract at Goodison Park. While he has yet to earn his first senior England cap, he has received a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s provisional squad for Euro 2024, putting him in contention for a spot in the final squad.
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