Manchester United will not be alone in the race to sign 24-year-old English international Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton next year despite moving ahead by establishing contact for a deal.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Manchester City and Real Madrid are also interested in Jarrad Branthwaite, with the two European heavyweights tracking the Englishman’s progress at Everton. The Merseyside outfit will demand £80 million to part ways with the former Carlisle United prospect next year.
Jarrad Branthwaite and his career so far
Jarrad Branthwaite has enjoyed his breakthrough in the Premier League since returning from a successful loan stint with PSV Eindhoven. The 24-year-old has been a mainstay at the back for Everton whenever he has been fit and available, though a hamstring injury blighted him last term, and he managed only 681 minutes of game time in ten Premier League outings.
However, the English defender has been fit in the early days of the 2026/27 season, starting all four Premier League games thus far and accumulating 360 minutes of game time. With the youngster proving impressive in the first month of the new campaign, interest in him has soared again, as it did at different junctures over the past few years.
A man in demand
Real Madrid may pursue a centre-back in the upcoming transfer windows next year, as Antonio Rudiger is on the wrong side of 30 and approaching the twilight of his career. Additionally, there are concerns about Eder Militao’s durability after his struggles with long-term injuries in the last few seasons.
Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite has been on Manchester United’s wishlist for a long time. The continued interest is logical, though Manchester United should ideally prefer signing a right-footed centre-back first. While the Red Devils need a new central defender, Harry Maguire’s advancing age has created the need for a right-sided option. However, per TEAMtalk, Lisandro Martinez could also be phased out soon, thus explaining the interest in Branthwaite.
Manchester City’s inclusion in the tracker list is more surprising. Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, and Josko Gvardiol already offer elite defensive cover, though long-term depth planning may justify continued monitoring of the Everton defender.
Meanwhile, Everton’s £80 million valuation is unlikely to shift before summer 2027, leaving interested clubs a narrow window to firm up negotiations. A high-potential defender commands a premium price on the open market in the inflated Premier League transfer landscape, though whether Manchester United, Manchester City, and Real Madrid will meet the asking price remains to be seen.
