Manchester United’s Jarrad Branthwaite will commence next summer where a three-way heavyweight battle could happen

Manchester United may not have been successful in their attempts to sign Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton this summer, but it is not over an out for United. It has been reported by the Daily Mail that United, having not been successful in 2024, will try again next summer.

Erik ten Hag’s side have signed Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt in the central defence positions this summer, having seen Raphael Varane leave as a free agent and also selling Willy Kambwala in the summer transfer window. Whilst Branthwaite seemed to want the move to United, it didn’t happen.

Everton will feel they have won this transfer battle having stuck by their valuation of the player and never budged, however, next summer could be so much different providing the 22-year-old does not sign for another club in the dying embers of the summer transfer window or in January.

United will be expected to launch a bid to sign the England international next summer after failing to offload the likes of Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire this summer, with United seemingly still requiring to upgrade their defensive line, building constantly, rather than every few years.

There is some sense in this approach, which leaves me confident as the footballing men that now run the footballing side of the club will be planning for the future and now, which is something the Glazer family have never really done – they’ve just kind of hoped for the best with their own idiocy.

United are in much better hands as the summer transfer window comes to a close and United start to participate in the UEFA Europa League and the Carabao Cup before they even think about their Emirates FA Cup defence later this season. Branthwaite would have been a great signing though.

It is expected that United could battle both Manchester City and Liverpool for Branthwaite next summer, providing he had a good season with Everton. Branthwaite has seen praise from former Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports, the Liverpool legend saying:

“Branthwaite has been outstanding. I think this lad is pretty special. He’s a big part of why Everton, in my eyes, have a good chance of staying up, him and his partnership with [James] Tarkowski.”

Written by Paul