Tottenham Hotspur 'confident' they can raise funds to snag £100 million Man Utd transfer target

Manchester United have been linked with Everton's rising star Jarrad Branthwaite ahead of the summer transfer window. Despite heavy interest from a number of Premier League rivals, the Red Devils are said to be pushing ahead of the pack for his signature.

However, Tottenham Hotspur are also neck-and-neck with United to snatch the centre-back from the struggling Toffees. i News reported in December that any interested parties would need to fork out a staggering £100 million for Branthwaite, who only became fully integrated into the Everton senior team this season.

United are eager to bolster their defensive ranks at the end of this season, especially with a number of their own players linked to an exit. Jonny Evans is set to leave as a free agent and Raphaël Varane is currently in line to move on this summer, unless a new deal can be agreed or his 12-month extension is triggered. The Reds recently extended Victor Lindelöf's contract through to 2025 to preserve his value but his future could also be the topic of a switch once the window opens.

Everton's risk of relegation could play a part in them reducing the asking price for Branthwaite but if United want to beat Spurs, they need to put a plan together. According to Football Insider, the North Londoners are are 'confident they can raise the funds' to sign the 21-year-old defender this summer.

In the wake of his reported £100m asking price, funds apparently 'won't be an issue' for Tottenham during the off-season. New technical director Johan Lange has made it his mission to sign quality young talent.

Erik ten Hag and co have made Branthwaite a long-term target and were tipped to be 'leading the race' to sign him earlier this month. However, if Spurs can find more money than their Premier League rivals, it is likely they will gain the upper-hand, especially if Everton are given an offer they can't refuse.

The Blues are currently at risk of dropping to the Championship as they sit 18th in the table on 19 points. For the third season running, Everton are fighting for their survival and may be forced to cash in on important like Branthwaite as their tricky situation continues.