Manchester United are looking to sign the Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite during the summer transfer window.
According to a report from the Athletic, they have not submitted an offer of around £35 million for the 21-year-old central defender. However, Everton are unwilling to accept the offer and they will demand a premium for the talented defender this summer.
It will be interesting to see if Manchester United decide to come forward with an improved offer for the player in the coming weeks. The offer from Manchester United includes bonuses totalling up to £8 million, which means they are only willing to offer £27 million to Everton now.
The Toffees are under financial pressure right now, and they will have to comply with the Premier League profit and sustainability rules. The only reason they will look to sell a prized young prospect like Branthwaite is if the transfer can bail them out of their financial problems. Selling him for a knock down price makes no sense.
Everton unlikely to sell Jarrad Branthwaite for cheap
It is highly likely that Everton will sanction his departure unless their demands are met. The 21-year-old is regarded as one of the finest young defensive prospects in English football and he could develop into a key star for Manchester United if they can get the deal done. They will need to replace Raphael Varane this summer and Branthwaite seems like the ideal option.
It remains to be seen whether Manchester United are ready to break the bank for him.
The young defender could help them tighten up at the back and he could form a solid partnership with Lisandro Martinez. Manchester United will be hoping to compete for major trophies in the coming seasons and they need better players in order for that to happen. Signing the 21-year-old would be a step in the right direction.
