Manchester United will be targeting a new central defender when the transfer window opens next month.
The need for defensive reinforcements is clear after the Red Devils completed their worst-ever Premier League season and ended it with a negative goal difference for the first time.
Centre-back Raphael Varane has confirmed he will be leaving the club at the end of the season following the expiration of his contract, while Jonny Evans’ deal is also almost up.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is preparing to spearhead a rebuild at Old Trafford this summer as the billionaire gets set for his first transfer window heading up the club’s football operations.
A busy summer is therefore expected, with reports suggesting that Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is Ratcliffe’s top target.
The former Carlisle United prospect has enjoyed a breakout season for the Toffees and has named in Gareth Southgate’s provisional England squad for this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament on Tuesday.
Everton’s financial issues have been well documented of late, but the club appear to have dashed any hopes that Manchester United may have of signing the player on a cut-price deal.
According to Teamtalk, the Toffees will not shift from their £80million valuation of the 21-year-old, with Ratcliffe believed to have been hoping to agree a fee nearer the £50million mark.
Everton would see 15 per cent of any fee go to Carlisle as part of a sell-on clause of the 2020 deal that took the defender to Merseyside.
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