After securing a contract extension at Old Trafford, keeping him at the club until June 2026, the Dutch manager is focused on strengthening his defense following their worst season defensively since 1978/79.
With Raphael Varane’s departure, the club has identified Jarrad Branthwaite, Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, and Lille’s Leny Yoro as potential signings.
Manchester United’s second bid for Branthwaite has been rejected by Everton, who are firm on their £70 million asking price. Varane and Lisandro Martinez missed significant parts of last season due to injuries, forcing midfielder Casemiro to play as a center-back seven times.
This has made United’s interest in the Carlisle-born defender evident, making Branthwaite their top target ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to The Athletic, Manchester United’s initial £35 million bid for Branthwaite was rejected by Everton. In a second attempt, the 13-time Premier League champions offered around £45 million, plus £5 million in add-ons, which was also turned down by Everton. Reporter Luckhurst confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that Everton’s asking price remains above £70 million.
Everton value the 21-year-old defender similarly to Josko Gvardiol, Wesley Fofana, and Harry Maguire, and are unlikely to lower their valuation until the final stages of the transfer window.
Having played 35 Premier League matches last season, Branthwaite is considered a key player by Sean Dyche and his staff, despite being excluded from England’s preliminary Euro 2024 squad. This makes acquiring him a challenging task for Ten Hag and his team.
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