August 22nd 2024.
According to recent reports, Liverpool is keen on acquiring the talented defender Jarrad Branthwaite from their cross-town rivals, Everton. The move comes after Manchester United's unsuccessful attempts to secure the 21-year-old's signature. It seems that Liverpool manager Arne Slot is a big fan of Branthwaite and is willing to take the risk of upsetting Everton fans by bringing him to Anfield.
The Sun claims that the young centre-half is also open to the idea of joining Liverpool, which would make him the first player to make a direct transfer between the two clubs since 2002 when Abel Xavier switched from blue to red. Liverpool is preparing to make a bid of £63 million, with an additional £7 million in add-ons, to test Everton's resolve. However, it is believed that the Toffees have no intention of selling their star player to their arch-rivals.
On the other hand, Manchester United has made two unsuccessful bids for Branthwaite this summer. The first bid of £35 million, with an additional £10 million in add-ons, was followed by a second bid of £45 million, with £5 million in add-ons. Both offers were immediately rejected by Everton, who values their prized asset at over £70 million. They believe that Branthwaite's outstanding performance last season, as well as the fees paid for other defenders in recent years, justifies this high price.
Even though United has already signed Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt as part of their defensive revamp, they are still interested in Branthwaite. However, it seems that Everton boss Sean Dyche is hopeful of keeping the young talent at the club, especially with just over a week left in the transfer window. But he also acknowledged that the club's financial situation could play a role in their decision.
When asked about the interest in Everton's best players, Dyche replied, "I'm confident that the club is doing everything in their power to remain competitive. However, we also have to consider the bigger picture, which is out of my control." Meanwhile, Liverpool has yet to make any major additions to their squad this summer. Rumors have been circulating about defender Joe Gomez potentially leaving the club, with Aston Villa, Fulham, Newcastle United, and Chelsea all reportedly interested. However, Liverpool is not actively looking to sell Gomez and there are even speculations that he could return to the squad this weekend against Brentford.
It will be interesting to see how this transfer saga unfolds in the coming days, as both Liverpool and Manchester United are determined to strengthen their defenses. Keep an eye out for more updates on this story.
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