Erik ten Hag and Manchester United could bid farewell to a raft of centre-backs at the end of this season. Jonny Evans' one-year deal is set to expire, while the club have elected not to exercise their option to extend Raphael Varane's contract by a further 12 months.
Elsewhere, Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof have both been put up for sale, with United ready to do business if they receive suitable offers. Of course, multiple departures would necessitate new arrivals, and one target the Red Devils have looked at is Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite.
United have reportedly taken note of Branthwaite's performances this season, but they face competition from Spanish giants Real Madrid, who are also showing interest in the 21-year-old centre-half.
United move ahead of competition in Branthwaite chase
According to Football Insider, Man Utd are now "lead the race" to sign Branthwaite from Everton. "Several" Premier League sides plan to make an approach this summer, but it's the 20-time English champions who have moved into pole position.
United have stepped up their interest since adding Branthwaite to their shortlist, with Erik ten Hag and his recruitment team earmarking him as a long-term target. Right now, it looks like they have a good chance of getting their man, but there's still plenty of work to do.
"Class act" Branthwaite can reach the top at United
Branthwaite joined Everton from Carlisle in 2020 and, after loan spells at Blackburn in the Championship and PSV in the Netherlands, he's finally been integrated into the Toffees' first-team this season. Sean Dyche left him on the bench for the first two Premier League matches, but since the start of September, he's been one of the first names on the teamsheet, starting every single game for which he's been available across all competitions.
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The table below shows Branthwaite's well-rounded contribution in the heart of defence, but the standout figure should be the percent of dribblers tackled. That shows us that the Englishman is almost always successful when putting a foot in to halt an advancing attacker, a reflection of his elite judgement and timing.
Minutes played
1,800
4th
Touches
990
3rd
Passes completed
594
2nd
Tackles
41
4th
Percent of dribblers tackled
82.4
1st
Blocks
24
5th
Interceptions
35
2nd
Clearances
96
2nd
Aerial duel success (%)
68.4
3rd
Ball recoveries
123
1st
Branthwaite has won rave reviews for his performances this season, with Sky Sports pundit Sue Smith calling him a "class act", former Everton man Michael Ball hailing him as "absolutely fantastic" and team-mate James Tarkowski claiming he's "got everything to go the very top". United will hope that he can take that leap at Old Trafford, and they're very much on the right track.