Manchester United are reportedly hoping to get two players off their books before they attempt to beat Tottenham to the signing of Jarrad Branthwaite. The Everton defender is a top target for the Red Devils but exits for the likes of Donny van de Beek and Jadon Sancho will be prioritised first.
United are set to enter a new era once Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s investment is confirmed. The British billionaire will buy a 25 per cent stake in the Old Trafford club and oversee the football operations.
Ratcliffe will bring in a new sporting director, possibly two, to head up United’s push to perform better in the transfer market. January may come too soon for the new arrivals to have a major impact.
However, future targets are already being earmarked at the club. Everton star Branthwaite has been linked with a big move following his strong start to the campaign.
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A report from TeamTalk claims United have listed the 21-year-old as their top defensive target despite him making just 20 appearances in the Premier League. Tottenham are also interested in signing the centre-back as Ange Postecoglou seeks further depth in defence.
United’s interest in the player dates back to last season as they tracked his progress on loan at PSV Eindhoven. Branthwaite was managed by former United great Ruud van Nistelrooy at the Dutch club.
However, TeamTalk claims any move for Branthwaite will have to wait until the summer. It is said United will look at cheap deals in January before aiming to complete their main business at the end of the season.
But before doing so, United will look to sacrifice both Van de Beek and Sancho to raise funds and create space on the wage bill. Van de Beek has made just two appearances so far this season, totalling 21 minutes.
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He has been an unused substitute on three other occasions in the Premier League but has mostly been frozen out by Erik ten Hag. Sancho, meanwhile, hasn’t played since he was dropped for the trip to Arsenal in September.
The winger was publicly criticised by Ten Hag for not meeting his standards in training before the match at the Emirates. Sancho hit out at his boss in a now-deleted social media post and is yet to apologise.
Sancho has not trained with his team-mates since and is not even permitted to eat with them in the canteen. United spent combined fees of around £110m on Sancho and Van de Beek but both deals have proved to be disastrous.
Sancho, who is attracting interest from Juventus, still has over two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract. Van de Beek’s deal expires in 2025 and United will look to move on both players in January.
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