Both the likeliest and unlikeliest Manchester United centre-back target this summer could be Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite ticks a lot of boxes for Manchester United this summer. He is a centre-back on the rise, just 21-years-old with 45 Premier League appearances to his name.
United’s interest is not kneejerk, the club were first linked to Branthwaite back in 2021.
The problem is the price. Goal report Everton are seeking £75 million for the England international, who is hoping to make the cut for the Euro 2024 squad.
Manchester United understandably feel this price overvalues Branthwaite, and may be more than the club are prepared to pay for a single player in this transfer window.
Jarrad Branthwaite asking price could dip
Manchester United are right not to push into paying Everton’s asking price, with the Toffees enduring a difficult time financially, with their latest takeover collapsing.
United In Focus spoke to football finance expert Adam Williams, who believes Everton’s high asking price for Jarrad Branthwaite is likely a case of ‘posturing’, ahead of the end of the football accounting year for 2023/24 on June 30.
As it stands, Everton need to find funds to make up a financial shortfall and will use player sales to do so, potentially putting Branthwaite high on the list.
He explains: “The party line from Everton appears to be that they will not be forced into selling the family silver for knockdown prices this summer.
“Unfortunately for Everton fans, however, this is probably posturing.
“We’ll know more after the Premier League’s AGM on Thursday, but I’d be surprised if most clubs don’t vote for a system which rewards player trading and not just non-operating income.
“And with another new PSR assessment window set to begin in July, that may mean selling prized assets like Branthwaite is an A1 priority for Everton before the end of June.
“Again, it’s difficult to say with certainty without knowing the intricacies of the new system or how it will be phased in, but most analysis concludes that Everton need to avoid a PSR deficit of £35-40m in the 2023/24 to swerve yet more sanctions from the Premier League.
“Their PSR loss in 2022/23 shows losses of almost £63m. Everton will need to have cut costs sufficiently and hope that they can get business done quickly to bring that figure down for the current PSR window.
“In short, sales are coming. And soon.”
A chance for Ineos to prove their negotiating skills
The situation is similar to the one Manchester United faced when dealing with Chelsea a year ago, with the Blues keen to cash in on Mason Mount before June 30 for accounting purposes.
Everton’s situation may be even more dire, presenting Manchester United with an opportunity to land Branthwaite for a knockdown price – or perhaps his truer valuation.
Branthwaite is one of the defensive options Manchester United are pursuing. This week Fabrizio Romano explained there are three lead options, Branthwaite, plus Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo and Juventus’ Gleison Bremer.
Everton’s situation is an opportunity for Ineos to prove their negotiating skills and show their intelligence. Spending £75 million on Branthwaite will not impress anybody, and place the incoming defender under a lot of pressure.
If United can get him in for a price more like £40 million, it will look like a shrewd negotiation.