Man Utd to ‘go all out’ for Barcelona star as RvN ‘shock plan to terminate Branthwaite deal’ is revealed
Man Utd are ready to turn to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo after struggling to agree a deal with Everton for Jarrad Branthwaite, according to reports.
The Red Devils have made improving the centre of defence one of their priorities this summer after injury and form saw Erik ten Hag struggle to keep a partnership together.
It is thought that Ten Hag sees Lisandro Martinez as his main starting centre-back next season with the Man Utd boss hoping to bring in at least one new centre-back to compete to be his new partner.
In the early weeks of summer transfer rumours, Everton defender Branthwaite has emerged as a main target for Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS with the Red Devils making a £35m bid, which was turned down by the Toffees.
And with Everton reportedly looking for a fee in excess of £70m, Man Utd have again been linked with Barcelona centre-back Araujo with the Uruguay international making 37 appearances for the Catalan giants last term.
Reports in Spain claim that Man Utd will now ‘go all out’ for Araujo this summer if he fails to agree a new deal at the Camp Nou as the Red Devils see him as a ‘safe investment’.
Man Utd are ‘putting on a lot of pressure in the last few hours’ on Araujo as they look to offer him a salary worth double what he is currently receiving from Barcelona.
If Araujo doesn’t agree fresh terms on a new deal at the La Liga side then it leaves Barcelona vulnerable, as the Catalans want to avoid a situation where he leaves on a free transfer and could be ‘forced to negotiate’ a sale.
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Ruud van Nistelrooy could be Araujo’s new assistant manager if the Uruguayan does arrive at Man Utd with the former Netherlands international reportedly considering the opportunity to join Ten Hag’s coaching staff.
Ahead of Van Nistelrooy’s potential return to Old Trafford as assistant, Football Insider have revealed the Dutchman’s ‘shock plan to terminate Branthwaite’s deal’ while on loan PSV Eindhoven from Everton.
Branthwaite scored four goals in 36 appearances in all competitions for PSV in 2022/23 before establishing himself as a regular in Sean Dyche’s Everton side in the season just gone.
Van Nistelrooy was his manager at PSV and Football Insider claim that the former Man Utd striker ‘was happy to send him back to Goodison Park in January 2023, midway through the campaign, as Branthwaite wasn’t featuring much under him during the first half of that season.’.
Branthwaite ‘struggled’ in the Netherlands before the winter break but ‘transformed his career in the second half of that campaign’ under Van Nistelrooy.
