Reports have emerged that Everton has turned down a bid from Manchester United for their promising center-back, Jarrad Branthwaite, valuing him at over £70m. The opening offer from United was believed to be £35m plus add-ons, falling significantly short of Everton’s valuation for the 21-year-old defender. This puts Branthwaite in a similar transfer bracket as defenders like Josko Gvardiol, Harry Maguire, and Wesley Fofana, all of whom commanded higher fees in recent transfers.
Everton’s stance on Branthwaite is clear – they consider him a key player and have no intention of parting ways with him this summer. However, the club’s director of football, Kevin Thelwell, disclosed last month that sales would be necessary this summer as part of the club’s efforts to enhance their financial situation in compliance with the Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.
Despite his potential, Branthwaite missed out on a spot in England’s Euro 2024 preliminary squad, despite making 35 appearances for Everton in the Premier League last season. As for Manchester United, the recruitment of a central defender has been identified as a top priority for the FA Cup winners, especially with the impending departure of Raphael Varane and ongoing contract discussions with Jonny Evans.
In addition to Branthwaite, Everton also has another potentially lucrative asset in Amadou Onana, the midfielder, although there have been no notable developments regarding his potential move. With these ongoing negotiations and discussions at the heart of the summer transfer window, football fans will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on the developments at Everton and Manchester United.
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