Jarrad Branthwaite the right pick for Manchester United after Raphaël Varane exit
According to an Independent report, Manchester United have shortlisted Jarrad Branthwaite as the centre-back to replace Raphaël Varane ahead of next season.
The report also states that United are looking to go after Joshua Zirkzee (Bologna), Ivan Toney (Brentford), and Jonathan David (Lille) to sort out their attacking issues this summer.
The departure of veteran Frenchman, Varane, from Old Trafford was confirmed last month. Arriving as a readymade solution at 28 years of age, “Champions League” Varane, winner of the 2018 World Cup, had his moments in the red shirt, but he never really managed to hit the heights of his Real Madrid days.
However, in attempting to replace him, Man United are going about things the right way. This article sheds light on what those right things are.
Branthwaite has the right ingredients
Man United have operated over the past decade like a decent, profitable business but a terrible football club. The new INEOS sporting ownership of the club have promised that steer clear away from that ahead of their first season presiding at Old Trafford.
The changes being made in the Man United hierarchy at least indicate that INEOS aim to work towards their target. The Branthwaite links now show us that they are going after the right players as well.
The Premier League is chaotic as it is, but when it comes to operating in a circus-like manner, few clubs can match United. Everton, sadly, are one of those clubs.
However, as the Sean Dyche-led men navigated through last season’s points deduction to comfortably finish mid-table, Branthwaite emerged as a player ready to take the leap up the table.
The England international has everything on his side: age, composure, belief, and he’s also not injury prone. Everything United need in a long-term solution. And with his time at Everton he knows how to strive in unimaginably harsh environs. In many ways, he is ready for a club like United.
And he’s not going to come cheap. Reports in recent weeks rarely hint at a price below £50 million, and it would probably go a lot higher before the two clubs decide to progress the talks further.
United have been very profligate in the last decade, spending money where they shouldn’t have. This, however, is not one of those cases, for Branthwaite is a player who, both in his current ability and potential, is an investment worth splurging on.
Conclusion
Raphaël Varane has moved on from Man United. He’s one of many heading for the Old Trafford exit door.
INEOS have wanted a hard rest for the club, which means a preparing as clean a slate as possible for the coming season.
Jarrad Branthwaite is one of many exciting names United are linked with. More importantly, he is one of the right names United are being linked with.
These are good signs, and United would do well to beat their competition this summer. Without Champions League football to offer, it wouldn’t be easy. But this is still Manchester United we are talking about, a name that still means something.
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In choosing Branthwaite, United are highlighting in more ways than one that they at least intend to learn from their past mistakes and make the right calls going forward.
