The game is on. Manchester United are pushing for Jarrad Branthwaite, who has emerged as the club’s priority transfer target.
Manchester United are pushing to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
United upped the stakes by agreeing personal terms with Branthwaite, which was first reported by The Times.
We have been here before, and can see how it is all going to play out. Here is a look at three things which will happen next…
Everton are going to dig in over a fee to hike the price
Everton want a high price for Jarrad Branthwaite, towards the £70 million range. But let’s not forget, Chelsea wanted similar for Mason Mount last summer too, and did not get it.
Everton, like Chelsea, need to sell before June 30 for accounting purposes. This means they are going to have to drop their asking price eventually.
Manchester United will not pay £70 million for the 21-year-old, in a summer where the club intend to make clear they won’t be held to ransom.
Manchester United will try to spook Everton by looking at alternatives
It is a well-trodden part of Manchester United’s negotiating strategy by now to threaten to pivot away from a top target, to sign an alternative instead.
In 2019, for instance, United were supposedly ready to move for Max Aarons as Aaron Wan-Bissaka negotiations hit a snag.
More recently, there were reports United were going to switch from Mason Mount to the much more expensive Moises Caicedo, who Chelsea wanted, if Mount was not possible. Both Wan-Bissaka and Mount signed anyway.
The centre-back market is a varied one, and there are enough alternatives United could viably switch to, if Branthwaites’ price does not come down.
Conversely, don’t be surprised if Everton manufacture a rival bidder for Branthwaite, to try and and spook United. City perhaps?
Branthwaite will sign for around £50 million and rising
After lots of back and forth, this deal will eventually get done. Manchester United fans just need to be a little patient and allow negotiations to play out.
A compromise will be reached, and the closer it gets to June 30, the more desperate Everton may get. It’s in United’s interests to let it get a little nearer that deadline.
Expect a fee of around £50 million to be struck. There may be some add-ons, but the core fee will present good value for the centre-back, who is a long-term investment.