Man Utd have added Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite to their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window, according to reports.
Branthwaite joined the Toffees from Carlisle United in 2020 for £1m, making four Premier League appearances last term before spending the second half of the season on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
The 19-year-old has made another six appearances across all competitions this campaign and scored one goal against Chelsea in the Premier League.
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And now the Daily Mail claims that Man Utd ‘are monitoring’ Branthwaite and the Red Devils’ recruitment team ‘believe he has potential to kick on’.
Carlo Ancelotti – who is now the manager of Real Madrid – ‘rated the youngster highly’ and gave him his debut at Goodison Park.
Standing at 6ft 5in, Branthwaite ‘has the physical stature United are keen to bring into their squad’ in the summer transfer window with the club keen to bring in a new centre-back.
The Daily Mail adds: ‘They have drafted a list that includes internationals but are also looking at young players with potential to develop who could be prised away for figures towards the lower end of their budget.’
Everton have been that impressed with Branthwaite’s start to life on Merseyside that they agreed a new contract with him at the end of last year that keeps him at Goodison Park until 2025.
Meanwhile, Man Utd interim boss Ralf Rangnick knows his side will have to improve from their 3-2 victory over Norwich City on Saturday if they are to beat Liverpool at Anfield on Tuesday.
Rangnick said: “I mean, everybody has seen today’s game. We all know what team we’re playing on Tuesday.
“They won against Man City today, they’re in the FA Cup final. In the end they might have the chance to win four trophies this season.
“If we play like we played today, it will be very, very difficult to get even a point out of this game and this is what we have to be realistically aware of.
“So, we need to raise our own level and standard. Probably Fred and Scott (McTominay) will not be back, Raphael Varane will also be a tight race for the game on Tuesday. So far he hasn’t trained with the team.
“We have to be aware that the players that we had available today we will drive to Liverpool and just get anything out of that game.
“If possible we need three points. That can happen in football, it has happened before.
“But we have to be realistic, we have to play a lot better if Liverpool is in possession of the ball than we did today.”
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