Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool are both looking to sign a new centre-back in the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils are set to lose Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans in the summer along with dealing with a long term injury suffered by Lisandro Martinez while the Merseyside club could lose their captain and star player Virgil Van Dijk due to his contract situation.
Ruben Amorim and Arne Slot will be busy looking at their options to strengthen their defense but their job could be easier after a Premier League defender’s desire to leave his current club.
According to Sky Sports, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite is considering his future at Goodison Park and that has alerted Premier League giants Man United and Liverpool.
The defender was chased by Man United last summer and they made two bids for him only for the Toffees to reject them.
They are now set to explore a move for the English defender but they will have to beat Liverpool to sign him.
A player moving from Everton to Liverpool would be highly controversial but it could be a possibility.
Branthwaite has played well for Everton under David Moyes but despite his impressive form, he failed to earn a call-up to the England squad under new manager Thomas Tuchel.
Man United and Liverpool face tough competition to sign Branthwaite
32-year-old Newcastle defender Dan Burn was preferred ahead of Branthwaite and that has upset the 22-year-old defender.
Manchester City, Tottenham and Real Madrid are all expected to be a part of the race to sign the Everton defender.
The young centre-back has just two years left on his current deal with Everton, although it contains an option to extend by a further year.
The player and the club have been involved in talks over a new deal but the fact that he feels he was overlooked by Tuchel for the England squad has made the defender consider his future at the Merseyside club.
Sources: Liverpool have “serious interest” in £80m warhorse as potential Virgil van Dijk replacement
