Manchester United has made a significant move in the transfer market with an opening offer of £35 million for Everton defender, Jarrad Branthwaite. This bid marks the club's first major move since confirming Erik ten Hag will continue as manager.
Despite this substantial offer, Everton views it as unacceptable and is expected to reject it. The club values Branthwaite highly and sees him in line with other central defenders like Harry Maguire, Wesley Fofana, and Josko Gvardiol who were sold for over £75 million in recent summers.
Branthwaite has emerged as one of Manchester United’s priority targets ahead of the summer transfer window. At just 21 years old, he narrowly missed out on a place in England’s squad for the European Championship. His potential addition to United comes amid concerns over their compliance with Premier League profitability and sustainability rules (PSR).
The need for new signings of centre-back at Old Trafford
United have prioritised signings at centre-back this summer following Raphael Varane's departure as a free agent and uncertainty surrounding Jonny Evans' future. The pursuit of new talent is crucial to bolstering their defensive line-up.
In addition to targeting Branthwaite, Manchester United are also actively pursuing Lille centre-back Leny Yoro. However, they face competition from Real Madrid and Liverpool who are also interested in signing him.
Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed that Yoro — along with Canada striker Jonathan David — will be allowed to leave Ligue 1 club when their terms expire.
While Manchester United's initial bid may not have been successful, it signals their intent on strengthening their defence ahead of next season. It remains to be seen how the transfer saga will unfold, but one thing is clear: United are not afraid to spend big in their pursuit of success.
