Manchester United stance on Jarrad Branthwaite as Everton sent fresh transfer message

Everton are bracing themselves for continued 'interest' from Manchester United in Jarrad Branthwaite. The Blues centre-back was heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park during the summer window just gone and United were, seemingly, the club most determined to get a deal over the line.

Branthwaite was the subject of two United bids rejected by Everton during the summer, with the last one said to be worth aro £45million plus add-ons. The Old Trafford outfit went on to sign Leny Yoro from Lille and Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich to strengthen up at centre-back as links to Branthwaite cooled.

However, it seems that United may still have an interest in signing the Everton defender. According to the latest reports from The Manchester Evening News, the Red Devils have identified centre-back as a position that are still looking to reinforce, once again, next summer.

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The report claims that United will continue to monitor Branthwaite, with the Blues starlet still a player of interest. Everton consider Branthwaite to be held in the same valuation bracket as the £80million fee United paid Leicester City to sign England regular Harry Maguire back in 2019.

Branthwaite is under contract at Everton until 2027 and he was, also, tentatively linked with a move across Stanley Park to Liverpool earlier in the summer. However, it's understood that the Blues and the Reds did not hold any talks about the possibility of a deal for the 22-year-old capped once by England.

After the uncertainty of a potential exit during the summer, Branthwaite is yet to feature for Everton this season, owing to a "minor groin issue". In the three matches that their centre-back has missed, the Blues have fell to three consecutive defeats and have conceded 10 goals while scoring just two goals - which both came in the 3-2 defeat to AFC Bournemouth before September's first international break.