Jarrad Branthwaite is back at the centre of the market after Manchester United made fresh contact with his camp. The defender has already been the subject of two bids from United, and Manchester City and Real Madrid are also tracking him. Everton are not dealing from a weak position either, with their valuation reported in the £80m-€93m bracket and a deal that runs to 2030.

United's renewed interest

Mick Brown, the former Manchester United chief scout, told goal.com: "Branthwaite is somebody who has been high on their list for a long time". That fits the shape of this story. United tried twice in 2024, and the interest has not gone away even with other heavyweight clubs in the picture.

The wider watch list is what makes this awkward for Everton. City and Madrid are not speculative names here, they are serious rivals for the same player. Atletico Madrid are also tracking him, according to teamtalk.com, which only adds to the noise around a defender who has already been through one long chase.

Everton's leverage

Everton still hold the stronger hand. Branthwaite's contract to 2030 gives the club real control, and their reported asking price is high enough to keep most clubs thinking twice.

The other part of the case is his return to regular football after an injury-hit spell. He has started all four Premier League games in 2026-27 and played 360 minutes, while his average rating sits at 6.94. That is a decent platform for a player attracting elite interest again, especially after he missed 31 matches across all competitions in the 2025-26 season because of recurring hamstring problems.

Moyes said of his England chances: "It would be fabulous if he did. I think England have got some really good centre-halves at the moment." Ian Wright was even more direct, saying he believes Branthwaite will be in the next England squad.

Everton's home game against Lisandro Martínez-less? Actually, no, that detail is not in the sources and does not belong here. The cleaner point is simpler: Branthwaite has already put four league starts, 360 minutes and a 7.22 rating against Manchester United on 6 September into the record this season, and that is enough to keep the discussion alive when the next round of transfer calls starts.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →