Manchester United Eyes Jarrad Branthwaite as Defensive Target
Manchester United’s search for a new defensive leader has zeroed in on Goodison Park.
Club scouts are keeping a particularly close eye on Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite as Michael Carrick pushes for major reinforcements at the back, according to Football Insider. The 24-year-old has sat near the top of Old Trafford’s recruitment lists for several seasons after a string of standout displays on Merseyside.
Four games into the new Premier League campaign, the cracks in United’s defence have already drawn concern inside the club. Carrick wants an elite, long-term organiser to reshape his back line. At Old Trafford, many see Branthwaite as that profile: young, left-sided, and with the presence to anchor a defence for years.
United scouts locked in
Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has lifted the lid on just how closely the club are tracking the Everton defender. Brown confirmed that United’s talent spotters are now regular observers whenever Branthwaite features for David Moyes’ side, especially since the centre-back forced his way back into the starting XI.
Interest in Branthwaite had cooled across Europe not long ago. A brutal run of hamstring injuries saw him miss 31 matches in all competitions during the 2025–26 season, scaring off potential bidders who feared a long-term fitness risk.
United have not forgotten the player, though. They just want proof his body can now handle the workload.
“Branthwaite is somebody who has been high on their list for a long time,” Brown said. “Man United are going to have scouts watching him closely this season, because if he can get back to the sort of form he’s shown before, he will certainly be an option.”
That is the plan at Old Trafford: track his durability across the entire campaign, assess every sprint and every recovery, then decide whether to move.
Everton dig in – for now
Any January raid looks a non-starter. Everton remain deeply reluctant to lose their prized centre-back midway through the season, and have already shown they are prepared to fight off giants to keep him.
The Toffees previously rebuffed serious interest from Real Madrid and Manchester City, tying Branthwaite down on a lucrative deal running to 2030. It was a clear message: if anyone wants him, they will have to pay and they will have to wait.
Moyes leans heavily on the partnership between Branthwaite and James Tarkowski to give Everton a platform. Break that pairing in the winter window and the whole structure of his side shifts. That’s why Goodison officials are in no mood to even entertain a mid-season sale.
United know this. A winter bid would almost certainly be a waste of time.
Summer battle on the horizon
The real intrigue lies in what happens next summer.
Despite Everton’s firm stance, figures at Old Trafford believe a deal could be prised open at the end of the season – but only if Branthwaite gets through the campaign unscathed and maintains the level that first put him on Europe’s radar.
United intend to study his physical consistency over the coming months: how often he starts, how he copes with congested fixtures, whether those hamstring issues resurface. If the numbers look right and the performances match, a formal pursuit is expected.
For now, Carrick and his recruitment team are not putting all their eggs in one basket. Alternative defensive targets remain under consideration as United shape a long-term rebuild of their back line.
But if Branthwaite stays fit and keeps bossing games for Moyes, Everton may find Old Trafford knocking loudly when the summer window opens.
