Opinion: Manchester United Show Promise by Eyeing 21-Year-Old as Potential Raphael Varane Replacement

According to an Independent report, Manchester United have shortlisted Jarrad Branthwaite as the centre-back to replace Raphaël Varane for the upcoming season.

Additionally, the report states that United are targeting Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna, Ivan Toney from Brentford, and Jonathan David from Lille to address their attacking issues this summer.

The departure of veteran Frenchman Varane from Old Trafford was confirmed last month. Arriving as a readymade solution at 28 years of age, “Champions League” Varane, a winner of the 2018 World Cup, had his moments in the red shirt but never truly reached the heights of his Real Madrid days.

However, in their attempt to replace him, Manchester United are making smart moves. This article highlights those intelligent strategies.

Over the past decade, Manchester United have operated like a decent, profitable business but a poorly managed football club. The new INEOS sporting ownership has promised to move away from that approach ahead of their first season at Old Trafford.

Changes in the Manchester United hierarchy suggest that INEOS aims to achieve their targets. The links to Branthwaite indicate they are pursuing the right players.

The Premier League is chaotic, but few clubs match United’s circus-like operations. Everton, unfortunately, is one of those clubs. However, as Sean Dyche’s team navigated through last season’s points deduction to finish mid-table, Branthwaite emerged as a player ready to move up the table.

The England international has everything on his side: age, composure, belief, and he is not injury prone—qualities United need in a long-term solution. His experience at Everton has prepared him to thrive in harsh conditions, making him ready for a club like United.

Branthwaite is not going to come cheap. Recent reports rarely suggest a price below £50 million, and it will likely go higher before the clubs progress in their talks.

Manchester United have been very profligate in the last decade, spending money unnecessarily. However, this is not one of those cases. Branthwaite, with his current ability and potential, is an investment worth making.

Raphaël Varane has moved on from Manchester United, joining many others heading for the Old Trafford exit.

INEOS has aimed for a hard reset for the club, preparing as clean a slate as possible for the upcoming season.

Jarrad Branthwaite is one of many exciting names linked with United, and importantly, he is one of the right names. These are good signs, and United would do well to beat their competition this summer. Without Champions League football to offer, it will be challenging. However, this is still Manchester United, a name that carries significant weight.