Manchester United are still clinging on by their fingernails this season, with the Red Devils having been left with a slim chance to end the campaign on a high, should they triumph in the Europa League.
Much like eight years earlier, when Jose Mourinho claimed glory in the competition during his debut season in charge, United have been forced to throw all their eggs in one basket, ahead of Thursday’s first-leg tie away at Ligue 1 side, Lyon.
Should Ruben Amorim steer his side to victory in Bilbao in May, not only would it help to paper over the cracks of another wretched year at Old Trafford, but – more importantly – it would also book the club’s place back in the promised land of the Champions League.
In essence, success and failure in Europe could have long-standing consequences for Amorim’s side moving forward, with the lack of continental action potentially set to hamper the club’s transfer activity.
The United hierarchy will be drawing up potential targets with those two outcomes in mind, albeit with there seemingly such targets who the Manchester side will be desperate to land regardless of what happens between now and the start of the window.
Latest on Man Utd's transfer search
It may have passed many supporters by, yet the Red Devils have actually already landed their first signing ahead of next season, with the club having secured the signature of Paraguayan teenager, Diego Leon, back in January, with the 17-year-old set to link up with Amorim and co this summer.
The £6m capture of the exciting wing-back follows on from the £1.5m addition of Arsenal’s Ayden Heaven during the winter window, with the INEOS model seemingly centred on scouring the globe for the best young talent out there.
That search may also go hand in hand with acquiring players who are ready-made for Premier League action, with Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite – who is still only 22 – seemingly fitting the brief in that regard.
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The England international was the subject of bids from United last summer – the last of which totalled £45m – and according to Caught Offside, the club could revive that interest this time around, with those at Old Trafford said to be preparing a bid for the 6 foot 5 sensation.
It remains to be seen if that offer – which is likely to be in the region of £50m – would be enough to tempt the Toffees into a sale, with the report indicating that both Liverpol and Real Madrid are also keeping close tabs on the centre-back’s situation.
It could then be a ‘complicated’ deal to do, as the piece notes, although landing the young Englishman from the Merseyside outfit could represent a real coup – just like Wayne Rooney before him.
Why Man Utd could be set to land Rooney 2.0
There was a time when it seemed the norm for United to be able to poach the very best that the Premier League had to offer, be it Louis Saha, Carlos Tevez, Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and, of course, Rooney.
Snapped up from Goodison Park on a £27m deal back in 2004, following his explosive exploits at that summer’s European Championships, ‘Wazza’ went on to cement hero status over the next 13 years in Manchester, having claimed a raft of silverware while scoring 253 goals in all competitions – surpassing Sir Bobby Charlton’s long-standing record in the process.
While Rooney’s United spell may have ended somewhat abruptly amid his departure for Everton in 2017, at the age of just 31, few can forget his heroics in his pomp, with United certainly securing value for money on their initial investment.
Hopefully, a similar scenario could occur if Branthwaite rocks up at the Theatre of Dreams over the coming months, with the towering defender possessing the stature and the youth to be able to cement a role for himself over the next decade or so at United.
The Carlisle native was signed from his boyhood club for just £1m back in 2020, before notably announcing himself while on loan at PSV Eindhoven during the 2022/23 season, with then-boss Ruud van Nistelrooy hailing his rising star as “very complete” during that fruitful stint in Holland.
Games (starts)
27 (21)
Goals
2
Assists
1
Key passes*
0.3
Pass accuracy*
87%
Tackles*
0.9
Interceptions*
1.4
Dribbled past*
0.3
Total duels won*
56%
Aerial duels won*
57%
Since forcing his way into the Everton first-team ranks at the start of the following campaign, Branthwaite simply hasn’t looked back, in truth, with data analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “ball-playing physical beast” due to the full array of his talents.
While he has perhaps been unable to showcase that ‘ball-playing’ quality in a defensive-minded Everton side, his ball-winning prowess is there for all to see. Indeed, in the top-flight this season, he ranks in the top 2% for clearances made per 90, while last term, he ranked in the top 15% for interceptions and the top 18% for aerial duels won, as per FBref.
Like Rooney – who had two years in the Toffees’ senior ranks before moving to United – Branthwaite has proven himself enough during his two full campaigns in the Premier League to suggest he could thrive at Old Trafford, with the loss of Lisandro Martinez to injury seemingly opening up the door to a role as the left-sided centre-back under Amorim.
Such a deal may not prove as exciting nor glamorous as the capture of Rooney just over 20 years ago, yet moving for another promising English talent could help to build the foundation for success in the years to come in Manchester.
Let’s just hope David Moyes doesn’t play hard ball…
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