Carlo Ancelotti wants to add depth to his backline next season and Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite is one of their top targets however, Premier League sides Manchester United and Spurs are also interested in the youngster.
The EPL season has come to an end and Everton are now bracing themselves for approaches for the 21-year-old central defender.
Jarrad Branthwaite has had a wonderful season with Everton but the Toffees need funds so they will have to offload the English defender. However, as per Defensa Central, Manchester United will go in hard for the centre-back which means if the Los Blancos want to sign him then they will have to go head-on with the Red Devils.
Tottenham Hotspur have also been named in the mix but we doubt if they will get a sniff in with two of Europe’s biggest clubs standing at the front of the queue.
Should Real Madrid challenge Man United for Jarrad Branthwaite?
Initially, Real Madrid had plans to move for Lille’s Leny Yoro but as per reports, they have been put off by the Ligue 1 side’s huge transfer demands despite the defender’s contract expiring in 2025.
Leny Yoro still remains a viable option for Madrid but we think they should put their undivided focus on Jarrad Branthwaite.
This was Branthwaite’s first major season with Everton and he has been one of their most consistent players, featuring in 41 games across all competitions. He has won close to 70% of his duels, made 181 recoveries and 50 interceptions.
He needs to make improvements to his winning his tackles but he is just 21 years old and has lots of time to work on his talents. Last season, he spent on loan with PSV Eindhoven and he also had a commanding season in the Netherlands.
Jarrad Branthwaite is valued at around €70 million and Manchester United will be more than willing to shell out this amount but even Real Madrid should go out and pay €70 million for the Everton youngster.
Yoro also had a great season with Lille but it just does not make sense to pay €60 million for a player who is so close to becoming a free agent. Branthwaite still has three years remaining on his contract so Everton’s demands of €70 million is much more realistic.
Also, Jarrad Branthwaite has been playing in a much more competitive league so he will be more ready to play in the La Liga for a team like Real Madrid.
The English defender will prefer to remain in the Premier League with interest from Spurs and especially Manchester United but if Real Madrid make formal contact with Everton, Branthwaite will definitely be tempted to play under Carlo Ancelotti next season.
The Los Blancos saved a lot of money by signing Kylian Mbappe as a free agent so they can afford to spend money on strengthening their defence and with the performances that Branthwaite has given this season, he has all the attributes to be a superstar at the Bernabeu.
