AliousManchester United are pulling out all the stops in their pursuit of Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, offering to dramatically increase his wages as part of their summer transfer strategy.
The Red Devils have reportedly promised to boost Branthwaite’s salary from £35,000 to £165,000 per week, should he make the move to Old Trafford.
This significant pay rise, first reported by The Times, would still fall within the club’s newly implemented ‘Ronaldo rule’, which caps player salaries at £200,000 per week.
However, despite agreeing personal terms with Branthwaite, United face a major hurdle: they have yet to reach an agreement with Everton on the transfer fee.
The Toffees have already rejected two bids from United, the latest being £45 million plus £5 million in add-ons.
Everton are holding out for around £70 million, using Wesley Fofana’s move to Chelsea in 2022 as a benchmark.
Everton manager Sean Dyche has expressed the club’s reluctance to sell their talented defender, stating, “We don’t want to sell any good players. It’s as simple as that.”
As negotiations with Everton continue, United are exploring other defensive options.
They’ve reportedly agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt and had a bid accepted for Lille’s Leny Yoro.
However, Yoro seems to prefer a move to Real Madrid.
United’s transfer activity isn’t limited to defenders; they’re also closing in on Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee and eyeing PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte as Erik ten Hag looks to strengthen his squad for the upcoming season.
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