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Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite has been widely reported to be among Manchester United’s top defensive transfer targets this summer as they seek to bolster a leaky defence that has conceded 71 goals in all competitions so far this season.
The 21 year old has had a breakthrough season, attracting interest from Real Madrid as well as United and has been called up by Gareth Southgate to the England squad.
The young star’s success has led Everton to slap a reported price tag of £60-£70 million plus on him, but this would not appear to have put off the Red Devils.
However, his performance against Chelsea last night could well have done so.
The Toffee’s defence shipped five goals against the Blues and while they certainly were not all Branthwaite’s fault, he was certainly culpable for the first two.
“Branthwaite was made to look very foolish by [Chelsea’s Cole] Palmer in the opener,” The Mirror reports.
“The England international skipped past Branthwaite, leaving him on the floor after a cheeky nutmeg, and then curled a brilliant effort into the bottom corner. Branthwaite was then caught out of position for Chelsea and Palmer’s second.”
Whether United scouts were in attendance or not for the Stamford Bridge mauling, the performance will certainly not have passed them by, and after a less than impressive showing at Old Trafford in March, too, question marks must be accumulating over the Carlisle-born centre back’s head.
The Mirror goes on to report that social media was awash last night with United fans’ calls for the club not to sign the player, or at least not for the touted asking price.
Some were even likening the situation to the purchase of Harry Maguire from Leicester City in 2019, both in terms of the style of player and value for money.
Nonetheless, Everton boss Sean Dyche is adamant the club will not sell its best players and with three years left on Branthwaite’s contract, they are in a strong bargaining position.
Meanwhile, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed that United’s interest in the star is overhyped and that he is “not currently a top target”.
More on that report to come from The Peoples Person in the coming hours.
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