The England international’s age, homegrown status and experience within the Premier League are just further qualities which convinced INEOS – who gained full control over the football operation, including recruitment, at Old Trafford in February – to designate him as a priority signing.
Two bids were tabled for the defender with the second in the region of £50 million (£45m plus £5m in add-ons) but Everton refused to compromise on their valuation of their defensive starlet, thought to be in excess of £70 million.
Officials at Goodison Park believe the prices paid by the Premier League’s elite for young centre-backs in recent years, namely Josko Gvardiol to Manchester City and Wesley Fofana to Chelsea, should apply to a talent as highly-rated as Branthwaite is.
From United’s perspective, this fee was considered excessive for a player with only twelve months of experience in the Toffees’ first-team, as well as the transfer budget at Old Trafford being constrained by the pressures of financial fair play regulations.
Yet the need for reinforcements in central defence following a dismal campaign last season remained.
A sensational swoop to sign 18-year-old centre-back Leny Yoro from LOSC Lille ahead of Europe’s heavyweights was quickly agreed after the second bid for Branthwaite was rejected. Yoro is considered the generational talent in his position and there was widespread acknowledgement of the signing by INEOS throughout footballing circles.
However, in only his second appearance for his new club during United’s pre-season tour of the US, Yoro was forced off the field in the first-half with an injury. It was a moment which produced immediate flashbacks to the horrors of the unrelenting injury crisis which decimated Ten Hag’s defence last year, with good reason.
Following a protracted period of silence by the club, United were eventually forced to admit their new signing had suffered a metatarsal injury which would require surgery. It was then revealed the 18-year-old would be ruled out for three months.
And it’s this unfortunate development, a report by The Sun reveals, which has led the club to consider a return to Merseyside with a “fresh bid” for Branthwaite, following a frustrating pursuit of other alternatives, including Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt.
The Sun contend Yoro is “unlikely to play again this year”, suggesting an even longer period of absence than the expected three month timeline to fitness: “United don’t expect the player to be available again until January. It’s a major setback for the club who had planned to use Yoro in the first team when the season kicks off next weekend.”
In response, United are contemplating “launching a new approach” for Branthwaite with sources at the club revealing the combination of the Everton defender and Yoro “could go on to be a central defensive pairing which United can build their team around.”
Whether a fresh round of negotiations will be able to convince the Toffees to so
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