Man Utd lead race to sign £50m Branthwaite upgrade

As always, Manchester United have been linked with numerous players already this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to transform the club.

However, the most concrete name to have been mentioned is Jarrad Branthwaite, who currently plays for Everton.

The English defender is valued extremely highly and unless the Toffees’ valuation drops, a move is unlikely.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a United centre-back target who could be just as good as Branthwaite.

Man Utd want to sign a centre-back

As per a report from TEAMtalk, Man Utd are interested in signing Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace.

It’s said that United are currently ‘front of the queue’ to sign him due to the fact that Aaron Wan-Bissaka could go the other way as part of a swap deal.

A fee in excess of £50m will be required, but that number will come down in the event that the former Eagle is included in any deal.

Luckily for the Red Devils, it’s mentioned that Guehi is open to the move as he looks to progress his career.

How Guehi compares to Branthwaite

Ever since moving to Palace in 2021, Guehi has cemented himself as one of the most reliable centre half’s in the entire Premier League.

Last season, the England international featured 25 times for the Eagles, but a knee injury in February disrupted the second half of his campaign.

The former Chelsea man missed 88 days and 13 games in total, but he recovered just in time for the end of the season and, most importantly, for the Three Lions’ European Championship camp.

Thankfully, Guehi was able to impress Gareth Southgate and was included in the final selection, and due to the absence of Harry Maguire, the number six started alongside John Stones in their 1-0 opening victory over Serbia.

Stepping up to play on the biggest stage was absolutely no problem for the defender, even becoming a hero for his exceptional performance, which earned him a 7/10 rating from FFC.

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The defender was composed throughout, playing a key role in buildup, rarely losing possession, and remaining solid at the heart of the England backline.

This gives a huge indication that he’s more than ready to play for a Champions League-level club week in, week out, but as you can see from his averages in the Premier League, his quality is nothing new.

What you can also see from his overall statistics is that he’s just as good as Branthwaite, particularly in possession.

Their defensive approach is slightly different, with Guehi often only making challenges when necessary, and the environment he plays in will have an impact on the stats.

Furthermore, considering whoever United sign will play alongside Lisandro Martinez, Guehi may prove to be a better fit, due to the fact that he’s a right-footed centre-back, unlike Branthwaite.

On top of that, it’s crazy to think that Guehi is only 23 years old, especially due to his maturity and leadership qualities that he shows while wearing the armband at Selhurst Park.

Overall, the two Englishmen are fantastic, and not much separates them at all, but given that Guehi would be a cheaper option and he’ll likely continue to shine for England, he could prove to be a better option.

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