'I can't believe' - Man United slammed over transfer strategy amid £50m summer signing push

Ruben Amorim will be looking ahead to the summer transfer window, as it seems like Manchester United are set for a huge squad overhaul this summer, with several departures and incomings expected at Old Trafford.

One position that Amorim could look to improve is centre-back due to the fact that Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans’ contracts are due to expire in June too, meaning that they will lose some much-needed depth at the back.

Lisandro Martinez will return from injury next season, and with a combination of Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro, Ayden Heaven and Harry Maguire, Amorim will need to figure out what his best trio of defenders looks like. That could mean signing a new player in the summer.

Manchester United slammed over Branthwaite interest

The Red Devils signed Leny Yoro for a fee of £51.6m in the summer last year, but it came after they saw bids rejected for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who was United’s first choice target at centre-back last summer. However, reports suggest that United are still keen to sign Branthwaite and that they could move for him in the summer, even though he has struggled to emulate his impressive form from last season this year.

According to former Man United scout Mick Brown, it wouldn’t be a good decision to sign Branthwaite considering Amorim’s current options at centre-back. Brown told Football Insider: “Well, I can’t believe that you’d buy Leny Yoro, then you take [Heaven] from Arsenal, and then, you’re looking to get Branthwaite in.

“You’ve already got [Lisandro] Martinez there, when he comes back – so that doesn’t look like good, sound business to me. If somebody’s got a very high opinion of Branthwaite – I think he’s got a bit to do to get back to where he was – but with this lot, you don’t know what’s going to happen!”

Branthwaite has made 25 appearances for the Toffees this season, missing time earlier in the year due to the fact that he was recovering from an injury at the start of the season. He was likely in consideration for Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad, but wasn’t selected by the German manager.

Do United need Branthwaite?

If the Red Devils were to make a move for Branthwaite, they may have to live up to Everton’s hefty asking price of £80m, which emerged last summer when United were looking to sign him. Seeing as they signed Yoro and De Ligt last summer, and have seen the emergence of 18-year-old Ayden Heaven, who joined from Arsenal in January, they already have a solid amount of depth at the centre-back position.

Plus, United’s Profit and Sustainability situation is fairly precarious, meaning that they are already likely to sell some top names including Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford in order to fund any sort of transfer business. Add on an £80m fee for Branthwaite on top of needing a striker, wing-back and midfielder, and it could be a financially tough move to pull off.

In other news, Man United are set to battle with Aston Villa to sign a Europa League star this summer.