The central defensive market, this summer at least, is not short of gems. So reports suggesting that Manchester United have identified a player playing for one of the Premier League’s bottom-half clubs, one who spent the last campaign on loan in the Dutch Eredivisie, may have taken casual observers by surprise somewhat.
Particularly when considering that, at a rumoured £75 million, a 21-year-old playing his first season of regular top-flight football appears far more expensive than the likes of Antonio Silva, Goncalo Inacio, Marc Guehi, Jean-Clair Todibo and Giorgio Scalvini, Manchester United‘s other leading centre-half targets.
But if you’d tuned into Everton’s stirring Merseyside derby victory over Liverpool on Wednesday night, there was one moment in particular which would have seen the Jarrad Branthwaite hype train earn a whole lot more passengers.
Around five minutes into the second half, Branthwaite made a tricky clearance look effortless, hooking a dangerous cross away from his own goal and out for a Liverpool corner. The 21-year-old then boomed the resulting set-piece out of the six-yard box with his head under considerable pressure and, just to finish it all off, then flew out towards the edge of the dee and chucked his body in front of an attempted volley on goal.
It was, if you’ll allow us, almost Nemanja Vidic-esque.
Manchester United are huge Jarrad Branthwaite fans
Branthwaite’s technical ability may be the thing that marks him out as a centre-half capable of reaching the very pinnacle of the game – one supreme crossfield pass in the first-half had Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville purring – but his colossal rearguard display against a Liverpool side fighting for the title was yet more confirmation that, boy, can he defend as well.
His performance against Liverpool was one of the happiest of his budding career so far, leaving Jurgen Klopp’s title dream crashing and burning – and blaming Manchester United.
- 4 Blocks
- 3 Duels Won
- 15 Clearances
- 5 Recoveries
Did we mention he opened the scoring too, his first goal since whipping a stunner into the Brighton net a few weeks earlier?
“If that kid Branthwaite keeps putting his body on the line like this, I can’t keep telling my strikers (to do better),” sighed Vincent Kompany, one of the finest centre-halves in recent Premier League history raved about the Carlisle-born youngster after Everton’s 1-0 win over his Burnley side at the start of April.
“Branthwaite is a young defender and sometimes it’s important to stay away from the hype a little bit, but he reads the moment to go and cover. It’s a side of the game that he has that is really promising for the future.”
Kompany, of course, knows a potentially elite-level defender when he sees one.
Everton want a big fee
Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this week that Manchester United’s latest interest remains genuine – but is likely to be dependent on Everton’s price tag dropping.
Branthwaite has reportedly been on Man United’s radar since he was a 17-year-old playing regularly for Carlisle United in the fourth tier – likened to Declan Rice and Red Devils icon Michael Carrick are one stellar game in defensive midfield – and honed his considerable talents under a certain Ruud van Nistelrooy at PSV Eindhoven last season.
“He is a great talent,” said the United striking great. “The boy is young, but he has a future. He is good on the ball, can play on the left or the right of centre-back because he is two-footed. He has height and speed, so he is very complete.”
Branthwaite, even before Liverpool made the short trip across Stanley Park, had already established himself firmly alongside Kobbie Mainoo and co in the Premier League’s best breakout talents for 2023/24.
This, however, was a performance which suggested Man United’s leading centre-back target is not only a very, very good defender in the making but a potentially great one.
