Manchester United have been given a huge shot in the arm in the battle with Manchester City to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite with a transfer to Old Trafford being strongly tipped to go through – but any move will also see the departure of two stalwarts from the club.
The Red Devils are struggling for consistency on the field this season, having already lost a mammoth 16 times in 40 matches across all competitions so far; form which has placed Erik ten Hag’s future as Manchester United boss in some jeopardy. Whether the Dutchman survives at the helm remains to be seen and much will depend on how the club fares between now and the end of the season.
Indeed, while the pulsating 4-3 victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals illustrated what United are capable of, fresh reports on Tuesday have indicated that a change at the top is coming, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s eyes now firmly fixed on a Premier League outsider to take on the top job.
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Behind the scenes, Ratcliffe’s is assembling some of English football’s elite brains to ensure the club are doing all in their power to return to the pinnacle of the game.
And with the arrival of new sporting director Dan Ashworth now closer than ever, plans for the upcoming summer window are starting to take shape.
To that end, Ratcliffe and Ashworth reportedly have plans to strengthen the spine of the United side – meaning a new defender, midfielder and striker will be sought, while another option to play off the right wing is also seen as incredibly desirable.
Man Utd told they will beat Man City to Jarrad Branthwaite deal
As far as a new defender is concerned, United do have a number of options in mind, though in recent weeks, that focus appears to have shifted to Everton star Branthwaite, who is enjoying an excellent season with the Toffees and is in line to make his debut for England on Tuesday evening.
The 21-year-old has established himself as one of the Premier League’s best defenders, with admiring glances being cast his way from United, Liverpool, Manchester City and even Real Madrid.
However, after drawing up a shortlist that also contains Juventus’ Gleison Bremer, it seems Branthwaite is now emerging as Ratcliffe’s number one target.
