Man Utd eye £138m swoop for England duo; Ratcliffe ‘provisional plan’ for summer 2025 revealed
According to reports, Man Utd remain interested in signing Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite and are also keen on Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.
Man Utd reportedly failed with two summer bids – and a rumoured third – for Branthwaite, who surprisingly became a Liverpool target late in the transfer window.
Their interest remains despite the summer additions of Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt for a combined £90million.
Branthwaite is the left-footed centre-back top of Erik ten Hag’s wishlist and is destined for a big-money move from Everton.
The Toffees were believed to be demanding at least £70m for their star defender and stood firm when Man Utd came in with offers nowhere near their valuation.
It is unclear if the Red Devils will come back in for the 22-year-old in January but he is definitely still a transfer target and one to watch next year.
Another England international Ten Hag is interested in signing is Crystal Palace attacker Eze.
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Man Utd eye ambitious £138m double swoop next summer
According to the Manchester Evening News, Man Utd have a ‘provisional plan to sign a defender, a midfielder and a winger next summer’, with Eze and Branthwaite on the club’s list.
The Red Devils are expected to sign a new winger next year and the 26-year-old ‘is among the forwards being monitored’.
Eze did not garner the type of interest Palace anticipated in the summer window, with no club triggering his £68m release clause.
The England winger will be available for the same price next summer and Man Utd are contemplating triggering it when the time comes.
Branthwaite gets a mention in the report, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s side ‘expected to continue tracking’ the player.
Both players are under contract until 2027.
The report adds that Man Utd are also chasing ‘a specialist left-back’ due to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia’s injury concerns.
In terms of midfielders, it is unclear who the club will pursue next summer but it is revealed that they ‘fleetingly discussed possible moves for Real Sociedad enforcer Martin Zubimendi and free agent Adrien Rabiot in the summer’.
Neither player was actively pursued by the Red Devils, who landed their ‘prime target’ Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain instead.
We mention Ten Hag’s name when it comes to players being targeted by Man Utd, but he might not even be in charge next year. He is currently the joint-favourite in the Premier League sack race.
The Dutchman is under severe pressure after losing two of his side’s opening three Premier League fixtures this season, including a humiliating 3-0 defeat at home to Liverpool.
Thomas Tuchel has again been linked with the Old Trafford job after Ratcliffe failed to land him in the summer.
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