£79m Premier League star is on Manchester United’s list of transfer targets but there’s one issue

Manchester United are eyeing a new centre-back this summer, and one name on their radar is Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, though one issue at the moment is that his high asking price means he’s not a top target for the Red Devils.

That’s according to Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, who says that Man Utd are scouting Branthwaite at the moment, though he doesn’t currently seem to be a priority for them due to Everton wanting around €93m (£79m) for the 21-year-old.

See below for details from Plettenberg as he provides his latest update on United’s interest in Branthwaite as they look to strengthen at the back this summer…

? News #Branthwaite | Yes, the 21 y/o from Everton is on the list of Manchester United and being scouted. Among many other candidates, as a new center-back is definitely supposed to come. #MUFC

?? However, I'm told that he's not currently a top target. Especially not for the… pic.twitter.com/Ozg8T0NI1O

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 16, 2024

Branthwaite transfer: Should Man United pay up for the Everton defender?

While Branthwaite clearly won’t come cheap, could it be worth MUFC paying whatever it takes to land this exciting young English talent?

On the face of it, the club probably should be showing the kind of ambition to compete for the best players like this, but they’ve perhaps been stung by similar deals in the past going so wrong for them.

It may well be that Branthwaite looks a top performer for Everton but struggles to adapt to the demands of playing at a higher level with United, which is precisely what happened with Harry Maguire when he made the big-money move from Leicester City to Old Trafford back in the summer of 2019.

While Maguire hasn’t been the worst player in the world, his price tag meant there was plenty of expectation on his shoulders, and it seemed to affect his confidence, so perhaps a cheaper option from outside the Premier League might work better than Branthwaite.

There are other exciting players out there who could be realistic targets for United and other top clubs this summer, such as Jean-Clair Todibo, Antonio Silva and Ousmane Diomande.