Man United Eyeing €60m-rated Ligue 1 ‘Rolls-Royce’ defender Alongside Jarrad Branthwaite this summer

Man United Eyeing €60m-rated Ligue 1 ‘Rolls-Royce’ defender Alongside Jarrad Branthwaite this summer

Branthwaite is Man United’s main target, but negotiations with Everton are tough due to their high demands.

Todibo is a potential candidate, and his connection to Ratcliffe-owned Nice could make a move straightforward.

If Branthwaite or Todibo deals fall through, Leny Yoro from Lille is back on the table, but Real Madrid is also interested.

Manchester United are still looking to enhance their options in the centre-back department during this summer window and respected journalist Dean Jones, writing in his latest GMS column, has reported that Jean-Clair Todibo, Jarrad Branthwaite and Leny Yoro remain on the club’s shortlist.

It’s been a whirlwind couple of days for those associated with the Red Devils. Erik ten Hag’s future at the club looked to be all but done; though, in a wicked turn of events, the Dutchman is now in line to secure a new contract instead.

Elsewhere, the club’s boardroom bosses have been planning ahead of the trading period opening up for business. According to The Athletic, there are three positions that the club are looking to strengthen in the coming months: centre-back, central midfielder and centre-forward.

Jones, reporting in his GMS column, has explained that – at least from a Manchester United perspective – Everton’s Branthwaite is the main target for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS-led team heading into the summer transfer window.

Crucially, Jones has suggested the 21-year-old Englishman would be open to a switch between Merseyside and Manchester this summer as he looks to take the next step in his career, despite it being in its embryonic stages.

However, Manchester United are unwilling to cave into Everton’s hefty demands for the former Carlisle man.

The club-to-club negotiations are bound to be tough, by the admission of Jones, thanks to the Toffees’ stubborn nature and unwillingness to lose someone who was pivotal to their fourth-best Premier League defensive record in 2023/24.

Suggesting that GMS have been ‘consistent’ in reporting that Todibo, who has been described as a ‘Rolls-Royce’, remains a potential candidate and a move for the Frenchman would be much more straightforward than a deal for Branthwaite.

The fact that he already plays for a team that Manchester United’s minority stakeholder also has a say in could play into their hands. That said, Branthwaite is the standout option, largely thanks to his experience in the English top flight