Man United left reeling as long-term target Jarrad Branthwaite agrees new five-year deal with Everton | OneFootball

Manchester United have been dealt a significant blow in their pursuit of long-term defensive target Jarrad Branthwaite, who is reportedly set to put pen to paper on a new long-term deal to extend his stay at Everton.

United are poised to undergo a radical squad overhaul following an extremely underwhelming 2024/25 season that saw the club finish a lowly 15th place in the Premier League, having amassed just 42 points.

So far this transfer window, the majority of United’s efforts have focused on strengthening their attack. The club has already confirmed the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while negotiations for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are nearing completion.

But, the defence is another area United could look to strengthen, especially after the exits of Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof.

There is also the fact that Lisandro Martinez will need time to get back up to speed and full match fitness once he returns from an ACL injury suffered earlier this year.

United have been linked to a number of central defenders including Branthwaite, whom they missed out on last summer.

United submitted two bids for the England international, but both were rejected by Everton, who had no intention of selling and placed a steep price tag on the player.

Branthwaite had an agreement in place with the Red Devils over personal terms.

Eventually, United walked away and turned their attention to other targets. They ended up signing Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt from Lille and Bayern Munich respectively.

However, it’s believed that interest in Branthwaite never completely faded, with Ruben Amorim’s side continuing to monitor the player closely. Branthwaite was also mentioned to be on the radar of other teams like Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and even Real Madrid.

But, a report covered by The Peoples Person indicated that Everton were making progress in negotiations over a new contract for the 23-year-old.

Now, The Times’ Paul Joyce has confirmed that Branthwaite is poised to put pen to paper on a five-year deal.

This has been confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Italian journalist wrote on X, “Jarrad Branthwaite, set to accept Everton proposal and sign new deal at the club.”

“The agreement will be valid until June 2030.”

Branthwaite made 30 Premier League appearances last term, helping the Toffees to keep nine clean sheets in that period.

Featured image Gareth Copley via Getty Images

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