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Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Jarrad Branthwaite does want to move to Man United.
Manchester United will almost certainly sign at least one centre-back this summer, with the Red Devils looking to replace Raphael Varane with genuine quality.
There can be no doubt that the name most linked with filling the void is Jarrad Branthwaite. The Everton man enjoyed an excellent 2023/24 campaign, though the Englishman narrowly missed out on Gareth Southgate’s final 26-man squad for the European Championship.
For United, that’s good news. It means that if the Reds were to go back in with another offer for Branthwaite, they wouldn’t be made to wait for the defender to return from Germany. Instead, the transfer can be complete swiftly…
Today, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on that front, speaking on his Transfer Live Show. He claims that the United transfer target ‘wants to go’ to the Reds this summer, with the player waiting for an offer.
It all depends on whether Everton will lower their £70m asking price. At that amount, United will not be signing Branthwaite, so The Toffees will have to reduce their demands – and probably quite signfiicantly.
Check out what Fabrizio Romano had to say in full here:
“This upcoming week, Manchester United internally will discuss again about what they want to do with Jarrad Branthwaite. The player keeps waiting for Manchester United. He keeps believing that Manchester United is a fantastic option for his future, so he wants to go to Manchester United.”
“But it also depends on Everton, and we have to see if Everton will change the conditions of the deal, because for £70 million, United are not going for Branthwaite. So, it has to be something different in terms of package, and we will see what happens.”
This feels like the sort of transfer saga that could drag on until the end of the window. Everton want to maximise the fee they will receive for one of their prized assets, though United are trying to ensure they do not overpay for players.
For as long as United do not sign a centre-back, these rumours will drag on. It’s clear that Ten Hag identifies Branthwaite as his number one option during this window. Whether or not he will land the player is another matter entirely.
For what it’s worth, we firmly believe Branthwaite would be an unreal signing if the club can somehow get a deal over the line. It feels like we’re a long way from that point as things stand, though.
Do you think Jarrad Branthwaite would be a good signing for Man United? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.