Man Utd ‘accept’ Branthwaite transfer reality amid new ‘hope’; Ratcliffe tipped ‘to sell five players’
According to reports, Manchester United have ‘not given up hope of signing’ centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite from Premier League rivals Everton.
At the start of this summer’s transfer window, Branthwaite emerged as Man Utd‘s top centre-back target after he enjoyed a breakout season with boyhood club Everton in 2023/24.
Branthwaite was unfortunate to miss out on Gareth Southgate’s final England squad for Euro 2024, but he is well-placed to become a starter for The Three Lions within the next year or two.
The Red Devils had a couple of bids rejected for Branthwaite earlier this summer as they did not come close to matching Everton’s reported £70m asking price.
With Everton refusing to budge on their valuation, Man Utd turned their attention to alternative targets and they have paid around £100m combined to sign Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt.
Despite this, a report from The Daily Mail claims Branthwaite is ‘still in Man Utd’s sights’ and a move is possible further down the line.
The report revealed.
‘Manchester United have not given up hope of signing Jarrad Branthwaite despite spending more than £100million on centre-backs – but there is an acceptance it’s unlikely to happen in this transfer window.
‘United had an improved offer of £50m for Branthwaite rejected by Everton before spending £58.9m on Lille’s Leny Yoro and £42.8m on Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich.
‘However, Branthwaite remains on United’s radar and they could revisit the deal over the next 12 months if the 22-year-old doesn’t leave Everton for another club.’
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The Red Devils have done some positive business this summer and more unwanted talents could leave as co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to balance the books.
A report from Manchester Evening News claims as many as ‘five more players’ could leave with United ‘prepared to sell’.
‘United would let Jadon Sancho leave either on loan or permanently. Scott McTominay remains available amid United’s efforts to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. Napoli are interested in McTominay but Fulham do not plan on submitting another bid for the midfielder now they are on the verge of signing Sander Berge from Burnley for £25million.
‘Fulham’s final offer for McTominay, 27, was £23m and United have been holding out for a fee of at least £30m for the Scotland international. Ten Hag would be happy to keep McTominay, who scored ten vital goals last term.
‘Ten Hag wants at least two players per position and a number of squad players have been deemed surplus. United currently have a 31-man squad comprising 28 outfield players, including rookies Toby Collyer, Ethan Wheatley and Harry Amass.
‘Championship leaders Burnley are interested in Hannibal Mejbri, while United expect Facundo Pellistri to join Panathinaikos on a permanent basis. Pellistri, 22, was left out of the squad for the opening day win over Fulham partly because talks had advanced over a departure.
‘Victor Lindelof is expected to stay now as he is still not training nearly three weeks on from his half-time removal in the friendly defeat to Liverpool in South Carolina. Centre half Will Fish is on the brink of joining Cardiff City.’
