Man Utd 'plotting third bid' for Prem star with two players at risk of Ruben Amorim axe

Manchester United bosses are seriously considering a third bid for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, according to reports.

The Red Devils failed with two offers during the summer, with a £50million package not enough to tempt the Toffees. But Branthwaite retains plenty of admirers at Old Trafford ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first transfer window at the helm.

According to The Daily Mail, United chiefs have held internal talks about the feasibility of moving for Branthwaite this winter. And they are treating the situation with a degree of urgency given that other top clubs are also hot on the 22-year-old’s heels.

January could be a good time to strike for Branthwaite, given that he has been limited to just four Premier League appearances this season due to injury. The hype that surrounded him when he was touted for a spot in England’s Euro 2024 squad earlier this year has therefore died down.

It remains to be seen whether United are willing to go near the £70m price tag Everton have slapped on their star defender. Branthwaite has just under three years to run on his current deal, which banks him a reported £70,000 per week.

Worryingly for fringe players at Old Trafford, the report adds that United will likely have to finance any potential move for Branthwaite through player sales.

Amorim, in tandem with sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox, is set to be given a relatively modest budget after years of big spending in the transfer market. Antony and Harry Maguire are two players deemed to be at risk.

Antony’s £82m move from Ajax has been an unmitigated disaster, but United could still fetch a handsome fee for the 24-year-old based on the two successful seasons he enjoyed in the Netherlands.

Maguire will be out of contract at the end of this season as things stand, but United could trigger a 12-month extension to either keep him around for another campaign or cash in on him next summer. From a squad management perspective, auctioning off Maguire to bring in Branthwaite – a replacement centre-back – would make logical sense.

Exactly where each player fits into Amorim’s pecking order will become clear over the coming weeks. United travel to Ipswich Town on Sunday for the ex-Sporting manager’s first game in English football.