Liverpool are reportedly set to hijack Manchester United’s interest in a key transfer target.
United supporters may have thought things could not get any worse after three games without a win, with the embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Tottenham last Sunday still fresh in the memory.
Erik ten Hag’s job is once again the subject of intense speculation, with the likes of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Gareth Southgate and Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi linked with replacing the Dutchman despite him signing a new contract at United last summer following the FA Cup final victory against rivals Manchester City.
However, their fiercest rivals Liverpool may be set to pip them to a key signing. Last summer, United bid for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite twice. Their first offer of £35 million plus a further £10 million in add-ons was rejected by the Toffees before the Red Devils returned with an improved bid of £45 million plus £5 million in add-ons which was also rebuffed.
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But a new report has suggested Liverpool have now identified the 22-year-old as a potential target, with Virgil Van Dijk yet to sign a new contract at Anfield. The Dutchman’s future is still up in the air but Branthwaite would fit the mould of an Arne Slot signing due to his composure both in and out of possession. Toffees fans were dismayed when the defender was omitted from Southgate’s England Euro 2024 squad last summer, with the ex-England boss opting for the more experienced duo of Marc Guehi and Lewis Dunk.
The Daily Mail have claimed Branthwaite is a target for Slot ahead of the January transfer window as the Reds look to bolster their backline. United may hold a secret weapon in the race to sign the Everton stopper however due to the fact current assistant manager Van Nistelrooy has managed Branthwaite before during their spell together with PSV Eindhoven in 2022/23.
The Everton man has been vocal about his relationship with Ten Hag’s assistant.
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"He would speak to me about my body shape when defending and the importance of being side on, so that I am always ready to run back or be ready to press forward," Branthwaite told the Times in 2023.
"He said if you don’t have the right body shape, you will get done because the Premier League is much faster. If they play it in behind and you are not side-on, the striker will already be gone."
The former United forward is one of the favourites to take over from Ten Hag if he were to leave his position as manager and is the dressing room’s top choice according to reports.
Topics: Man Utd, Liverpool, Erik Ten Hag, Arne Slot
Luke Alfred Davies