Branthwaite to Man Utd back ON as Everton close in on replacement

Robin Bairner

27 Jul 2024 15:35 BST
3 min read

Manchester United may have turned their attention away from Jarrad Branthwaite in the transfer market to some extent in recent weeks, but the latest news coming out of Everton could put the deal back on the agenda at Old Trafford.

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According to the Daily Mail, Branthwaite will not sign a new Everton contract unless they match the wages on offer to him at Old Trafford, opening the door to a move to Man Utd.

The Toffees have done their best to lock the 22-year-old down by placing an enormous €82 million (£70m) valuation on his head, and though the player is still under contract until 2027, they want to further insure against a transfer by extending that deal.

Branthwaite, though, is putting himself out of reach in that regard with his wage demands.

Current ETV

Jarrad Branthwaite

D (C)

Everton

Jarrad Branthwaite

D (C)

Everton

ETV Range

€19.4M - €32.4M

Door open for Man Utd as replacement lined up

Man Utd were offering him €190,000 (£160,000) per week at Old Trafford, and now the centre-back has told Everton the only way that he will put pen to paper is if they can match this salary.

The Toffees, though, are in significant financial strife, and while their immediate position has been guarded against being punished under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), the longer term for the Merseyside club is less clear.

The Mail does indicate that Man Utd “have stepped back from transfer talks for now”, with their discussions focussing on Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt in the meantime. Just as they failed to agree a transfer fee with Everton over Branthwaite, they have been unable to meet FCB’s requested price for the Netherlands star.

However, it seems that Everton are not convinced that they have managed to completely extirpate Man Utd's interest. In a bid to further protect themselves against the potential loss of Branthwaite, they have turned their attention to Jake O'Brien of Olympique Lyon.

The former Crystal Palace defender is on the verge of joining the Toffees, according to Fabrizio Romano, who has already dropped his famous 'here we go' on the move. The Ireland international is set to sign a five-year deal, though the transfer expert did not reveal the fee required to sign him.

This, then, seems to be another step in the right direction as far as Man Utd are concerned. Particularly with a deal for De Ligt stalling, Everton star Branthwaite could come back into focus – especially if there is some animosity towards his club.