Manchester United 'will return' with improved Jarrad Branthwaite offer as £42m Bayern Munich star 'discussed'

The transfer window has barely been open 24 hours and reports surrounding Manchester United have already been kicked up a notch. This summer was always going to be a busy one at Old Trafford, with new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to improve the squad and improve on last season’s disappointing eighth-placed Premier League finish.

Ratcliffe’s first point of business was deciding the future of manager Erik ten Hag, and with the Dutchman set to stay on board and start talks over a new contract, focus can now fully turn to summer investment. Defensive reinforcements remain at the top of Ten Hag’s summer shopping list and it is in that area of the pitch that interest seems to be most intense. With that in mind, ManchesterWorld has rounded up some of the latest transfer stories surrounding the club.

Branthwaite latest

United will return with an improved bid for Jarrad Branthwaite after reportedly agreeing £150,000-per-week personal terms with the promising Everton defender. Football Transfers reports that Branthwaite is keen to make the move, with those in charge at Old Trafford increasingly confident of securing his signature before the end of June.

Reports surfaced earlier this week of an opening bid for Branthwaite, with the value of said bid differing but all somewhere around the £35-40million mark. Everton are thought to have rejected it outright and aim to hold out for far more, with this most recent report suggesting a total package worth around £60m would be needed to land the 21-year-old.

Branthwaite is thought to be United’s ‘top target’ for the summer, with defensive reinforcements a priority for Ratcliffe amid the departure of Raphael Varane. There is hope that with Everton needing to raise money before submitting their accounts on June 30, a deal can be concluded swiftly if United up their offer, particularly given Branthwaite is free to do whatever is needed after missing out on the England squad for Euro 2024.

De Ligt discussions

United are expected to sign more than one central defender this summer and reports now suggest there have been ‘internal discussions’ regarding the availability of Matthijs de Ligt. The Dutch defender is looking increasingly likely to leave Bayern Munich this summer and Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg reports that he is on the list of potential options for Ten Hag.

De Ligt would be seen as a more natural replacement for the departing Varane, due to being right-footed, and has the kind of top-level experience that Branthwaite currently lacks. Minutes at Bayern have been limited and the pursuit of Jonathan Tah from Bayer Leverkusen would only push the 24-year-old further down the pecking order under new manager Vincent Kompany. 

Any move for De Ligt would likely cost around €50m (£42.4m), however, which could see the Reds priced out of a move, particularly if they are to improve their offer for Branthwaite. The budget at Old Trafford is thought to be less than previous years and any major investment could first rely on some key sales.