Everton change stance on Jarrad Branthwaite’s proposed transfer to Manchester United

Everton are growing increasingly confident of keeping central defender Jarrad Branthwaite beyond the summer after agreeing to sell Amadou Onana to Aston Villa for £50 million. The fee received from the Birmingham club will lessen the need to sell the English defender.

United had previously made two bids for the 22-year-old this summer – the latest for £45 million, which Everton quickly rejected, seeking to get £70 million from the central defender – which is fair enough as they don’t necessarily want to sell the player – but every player has a price.

United need to rejuvenate the defence this summer after the departure of Raphael Varane as a free agent and the departure pf Willy Kambwala for Villarreal, which leaves places in the squad for a new defender. United would also be seeking to sell both Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire too.

Should they sell another defender this summer, United would have probably secured a deal for another defender with Matthijs de Ligt of Bayern Munich currently linked to the club. United could then sell one of Lindelof or Maguire to make room for Branthwaite, should a deal be made.

Everton’s money worries have not disappeared following the departure of Amadou Onana to Villa this summer and any prospective deal for Branthwaite would not solve it either. The club has been run into the group by the ownership with a new stadium being developed in Liverpool.

It does not seem to be too great for the club who have been closer to the relegation places than the middle of the table for the last three Premier League seasons. Something will have to give for that to change because Everton have not been the best, which could make Branthwaite want to leave.

Having not been selected for the final England Euro 2024 squad this summer, with England reaching the final and losing 2-1 to Spain, he must be asking himself what he needs to do in order to make the squad regularly with the UEFA Nations League commencing in September.

Playing for a club like United would give him the security, as providing the club does overhaul the defence – which has been needed for some time with United’s back line not oozing with confidence. If United can sign Matthijs de Ligt and Branthwaite, it could help give them a new dimension.

Written by Paul