Manchester United 's transfer radar is locked on Jarrad Branthwaite - who has recently lauded the influence of Ruud van Nistelrooy on his burgeoning career.
The Everton talisman was pivotal in their survival scrap last term and even earned an England call-up earlier this year, though he missed out on a spot at the Euros. Branthwaite has caught the eye of many top-flight clubs, with United having their initial £42million offer knocked back by Everton, reports the Manchester Evening News.
After a standout season as Everton's go-to centre-back, following a fruitful loan at PSV Eindhoven where he bagged the KNVB Cup under the tutelage of Van Nistelrooy, Branthwaite has been open about the Dutch legend's role in his rise. "He was brilliant for me," said the Cumbrian-born defender, reflecting on a challenging spell in the Eredivisie last year.
He admitted to considering a return to Everton mid-season due to limited playtime, saying: "At the midpoint in the season, I hadn't played as much as I would have liked. I had a clause in my contract where I could have come back here [to Everton] and, having hardly played, I said I wasn't not sure what I was going to do.
"He sat me down for half an hour and said I was going to play every game in the second half of the season. At the time, I was like, 'You can say that, but how am I meant to believe you? ' We were on a winter break, I was on holiday, and he kept ringing me every day, saying, 'Trust me, you are going to play.'".
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Despite his status as one of his generation's most lethal strikers, Van Nistelrooy passed on some crucial defensive wisdom to Branthwaite, which proved invaluable in the Premier League last season.
Branthwaite played under Van Nistelrooy during his time as PSV boss in the 2022/23 campaign (Getty Images)"He would speak to me about my body shape when defending and the importance of being side on, so that I am always ready to run back or be ready to press forward," he revealed.
"He said if you don't have the right body shape, you will get done because the Premier League is much faster. If they play it in behind and you are not side on, the striker will already be gone."
Possible future endeavours could see Van Nistelrooy potentially joining Branthwaite in the English top-flight, with the Dutchman linked to the vacant role at Leicester City.
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