2 weeks ago
23 Manchester United are reportedly ready to try for a third time to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
The Red Devils made two efforts to sign the talented 22-year-old in the summer, but had two bids turned down by Everton, though it seems their interest has not gone away, according to talkSPORT.
Man Utd ended up strengthening with two other centre-backs, however, as Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt joined the club, though Yoro has been unable to make an impact so far due to injury.
Meanwhile, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof are out of favour and will both be out of contract at the end of the season, so there is surely room for someone like Branthwaite to come in as well.
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It seems Ruben Amorim’s imminent arrival as United manager is also key to the pursuit of Branthwaite, as talkSPORT claim that Dan Ashworth thinks the England international will be a good fit for the Portuguese tactician and his preferred tactic of playing three at the back.
Do Manchester United really need another defender?
Jarrad Branthwaite in action for Everton (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Branthwaite is a quality player and it will be important for MUFC to have depth at the back after Yoro’s injury problems, while Lisandro Martinez has also had fitness problems for a large chunk of his time at Old Trafford.
Ian Wright previously described the Toffees defender as a “monster” and one imagines if United don’t get him, he’ll surely end up at another top club.
Still, there is arguably a more pressing issue for United right now, and that’s in attack, with Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho all performing well below what they’re capable of.

 
Rashford and Garnacho have gone backwards and aren’t providing enough quality from out wide, while Hojlund and Zirkzee just don’t seem to have it in them to be prolific scorers in the middle.
Given that Branthwaite would surely be expensive after Everton’s previous efforts to keep hold of the player, this could end up being a fruitless pursuit that eats into United’s resources, leaving them without enough to really bring in a quality game-changer at the other end of the pitch.
