Manchester United identify two Jarrad Branthwaite backups after transfer “difficulty” revealed

According to reports, Manchester United have identified two backup transfers for Jarrad Branthwaite, with difficulty arising surrounding the England centre-back.

Manchester United plans to enhance their defence by signing multiple centre-halves this summer after a challenging season under Erik ten Hag.

The team conceded over eighty goals across all competitions, frequently changing their defensive lineup due to injuries, resulting in more than 30 different defensive combinations in 52 matches during the 2023/24 season.

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INEOS have been evaluating potential signings for the 2024 summer transfer window, with Jarrad Branthwaite currently looking like their top target. There has now been a fresh update on the deal.

With Branthwaite not at the 2024 European Championships with England, MailSport has reported that United are “set to table a bid” for the 21-year-old after learning that Everton have valued him at £70 million.

This price tag is certainly more than INEOS will be willing to pay, meaning that there is now a difficulty with the deal. The report further explains that fans should be braced for negotiations that “may take time and won’t be straightforward” between the two clubs.

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Further, the report also reveals that United have two backups in mind should a move for Branthwaite fall through.

If the club is unsuccessful in its approaches for the Everton centre-back, it is said that it may turn its attention to Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt, who has worked with Ten Hag at Ajax previously.

De Ligt’s future at Bayern under new manager Vincent Kompany is understood to be less than safe, and a move could materialise for under the fee United would be required to put forward to secure Branthwaite.

Jean-Clair Todibo of OGC Nice, another club currently owned by INEOS, is also mentioned as a further option in defence.

Todibo is most likely the cheapest of the three options, and at 24 years of age, he fits the mould the club would like perfectly. He is young but experienced at both a club and international level, although much like Branthwatie, he was not selected for the 2024 European Championships.

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