Jarrad Branthwaite is back on the market radar, with Manchester United and Liverpool both circling a defender Everton tied down until the summer of 2030. Everton are likely to ask for around £80million, and United already know how hard the club can be to shift. They had two bids rejected for Branthwaite in the summer of 2024.
Everton's contract position
Pete O’Rourke told teamtalk.com that clubs are still watching Branthwaite because “he’s a top player” and added that he “looks to be back fully fit now.” That lines up with the numbers. Branthwaite has already made 7 Premier League appearances this season and played 630 minutes, after a campaign last term restricted to just 10 league appearances by a recurring hamstring issue.
Everton’s stance is the key part of this. Branthwaite signed a new deal last summer, so the club are not dealing from a weak position, and the valuation reflects it. A player back in rhythm, under contract for four more years and moving again only at a huge fee is exactly the sort of deal that keeps a bidding war high even before it starts.
United and Liverpool interest
United’s interest is easy to understand. O’Rourke said they are “probably gonna have a big restructure of their defence”, and Branthwaite is expected to sit high on that list. The need is plain enough too. United sit 16th in the Premier League, have 7 points from 8 league matches and have conceded 13 goals.
Liverpool add a different kind of pressure. Their interest is part of longer-term planning for life after Virgil van Dijk, and they are still being linked with a move in 2027. Liverpool have not signed a player directly from Everton since Abel Xavier in 2002, so the rivalry alone would make this awkward. The price and the timing make it harder still, but this is not a player Everton look in danger of losing cheaply.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →
