Jarrad Branthwaite: Man United told what it would take to sign Everton defender

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In 2025, Manchester United channelled all their efforts and resources into bolstering the attack, securing the signatures of Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko.

This year, the focus shifted to midfield, with Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba all arriving at Old Trafford.

The plan for next year now appears to be a defensive overhaul.

An idea is already emerging regarding the players the Red Devils intend to pursue.

Left-backs such as Adrien Truffert, Tyrick Mitchell and Alejandro Balde have been linked, while interest has also been shown in several centre-backs.

The most intriguing of these is Jarrad Branthwaite, with United seemingly renewing their long-standing admiration for the Everton defender.

Fresh Complications in renewed Branthwaite pursuit

But as the Red Devils look to land their long-term defensive target, Teamtalk report that Real Madrid are also keen to finally take Branthwaite to the Bernabéu.

And while Los Blancos, like United, have renewed their interest, the report notes that “Everton, however, have little desire to part company with their star defender, who we understand they now rate in the £80m (€93m, $108m) bracket.”

Transfer worry

These two obstacles: Real Madrid’s interest and Everton’s hefty asking price, do not bode well for United’s plans.

After a summer in which INEOS showed a willingness to walk away from deals rather than overpay or pursue players who preferred other clubs, some United fans will naturally worry about the club’s chances of winning this particular race.

That said, United will still hope to win this contest. Losing Branthwaite to another club would be a significant blow, especially given how well his skillset could address the defensive shortcomings that have continued to concern those at Old Trafford.

Overall credibility: 5/10

✅ Man United’s renewed interest corroborated by different sources

✅ Real Madrid remain long-term admirers of Branthwaite

⚠️ No club to club talks

TPP view

We believe that, with the fantastic start to the season Branthwaite has had, top clubs will have taken notice. Manchester United should be ready for a fierce battle for their top defensive target.