CC BY-SA 2.0. OTF Logo added.
Man United have eyes on Everton defender, Jarrad Branthwaite.
Man United are struggling defensively at the moment – both in terms of players available and on the field. Harry Maguire is Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans is on the older side and Raphael Varane always picks up injuries. That leaves Victor Lindelof and the currently-injured Lisandro Martinez.
The latest claim from the Daily Mail makes sense, then. They state that even if Martinez does return before the end of the year, United could be in the market to sign a defender in January. One of the names the club are looking at is Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.
According to the story, the club have the 21-year-old ‘on their radar’. Branthwaite enjoyed himself at PSV Eindhoven on loan last season, though this year he remains with the Everton first-team. Now, United are weighing up a move for the Englishman.
There’s no doubt that it would be a step up in class for the player, who would be given the chance to showcase his abilities at a super high level, rather than fighting for relegation in a team that is struggling right now.
Branthwaite certainly would not come cheaply. The Merseyside club would charge an arm and a leg for one of their top talents, while it’s no guarantee that the player would want to come, as there would be no guarantees about playing time should he arrive.
I like the talent in Branthwaite and it does make sense getting younger at that position. However, he’d need some time to settle in, hence why a January move makes sense. He’d have six months to bed in, before potentially becoming a regular starter in the 2024/25 season.
Do you think a Man United move to sign Jarrad Branthwaite would make sense? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
