Manchester United are plotting a fresh move for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite next summer.
United had two offers for centre-back Branthwaite worth up to £50m rejected before the start of this season, but the 22-year-old remains at the top of their wish-list.
United sporting director Dan Ashworth believes the cultured Branthwaite would suit new boss Ruben Amorim’s playing style and his preferred 3-4-3 system.
Sources close to Branthwaite say he has ambitions to play for a top Premier League club.
United could face competition from bitter rivals Liverpool, who are also admirers of the England international.
Branthwaite has not started a game this season due to injury, and his omission from the starting line-up for Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at relegation rivals Southampton despite returning to full fitness came as a shock to the Toffees dressing room.
Hall pass
Newcastle defender Lewis Hall has put himself in contention for a first senior England call-up to solve the Three Lions’ left-back crisis.
The 20-year-old Under-21 international has been one of Newcastle’s standout performers this season, including an impressive display shackling Bukayo Saka during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Arsenal at St James’ Park.
talkSPORT understands England interim-boss Lee Carsley has been tracking Hall’s progress ahead of next week’s crunch Nations League double header with Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
England realistically need to win in Athens to avoid finishing second in the group and going into an unwanted play-off round in March.
Carsley has been criticised for not naming a left-back in his first two squads and with Luke Shaw still sidelined, Hall, who was handed his Chelsea debut by incoming England head coach Thomas Tuchel, has put himself in pole position to answer the call.
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That’s the Espirto
Nuno Espirito Santo is set to be rewarded for Nottingham Forest’s amazing start to the season with a bumper new contract.
Espirito Santo has led Forest into the Premier League’s top three for the first time in 26 years after losing only one of their first ten matches.
Notoriously demanding owner Evangelos Marinakis has been so impressed he wants to extend the former Wolves and Tottenham manager’s deal.
Espirito Santo is currently contracted at the City Ground until the summer of 2026.
This notebook also reported previously that Forest’s in-form striker Chris Wood is set to sign a new deal.
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Port of call
Ruben Amorim is not the only Portuguese manager on the radar of Premier League clubs.
With Amorim bound for Manchester United, his ex-sparring partner and former Porto boss Sergio Conceicao is also on the radar of several sides who may be contemplating a managerial change in the near future.
West Ham are believed to have had Conceicao on their list of potential options when they replaced David Moyes with Julen Lopetegui in the summer.
Lopetegui is now already under pressure after a poor start to the season and talkSPORT has been told several senior Hammers stars are not fully on board with the Spaniard.
Everton boss Sean Dyche is also under scrutiny from incoming new owner Dan Friedkin and the out-of-work Conceicao, who led Porto to three league titles among 11 major honours, would be seen as a progressive appointment.
