It isn’t exactly outrageous to suggest that things haven’t been going well at Old Trafford for some time now. A big part of the reason for that is the fact that the club’s hierarchy keeps giving managers money to spend on players but then sacking the manager before the players get a chance to work for them.
With the Red Devils currently sitting in 13th, it is anyone’s guess whether Ruben Amorim will still be at the club at the start of next season, but if he is, then some defenders who suit his three-at-the-back style will be crucial.
Defensively, here are some of the rumoured targets for Man United.
Jarrad Branthwaite
The fact that new owners have arrived at Everton and that the club will be departing Goodison Park to head to their new stadium on the waterfront means that there will be a reluctance from many in the Blue part of Merseyside to allow Jarrad Branthwaite to leave this summer.
Even so, the player himself will have the ultimate agency in his possible departure and Manchester United have been keeping tabs on him. He certainly wouldn’t be the first player to make the move between the two clubs, with Wayne Rooney being the most famous example of one to do so.
@utd_road5 Manchester United Agreed Personal terms With Branthwaite wage around £175K 🛑👀 #premierleague #manchesterunited ♬ original sound – UTD_ROAD
He is currently contracted with the Blues until the June of 2027, so there is no need for Everton to sell him. At the same time, they will also want to cash in on him rather than lose him for free if he won’t sign a new contract.
There are rumours that one of the clubs that might look to hijack and United move for the former Carlisle defender is Liverpool, but no player has made the move across Stanley Park since Abel Xavier did so in 2002. Everton did reject a £50 million bid for the player from Manchester United last summer, but might not be able to do so this time around.
Dean Huijsen
Netherlands-born Spanish international Dean Huijsen is only 19-years-old, which would mean that Manchester United would be looking at a defence for the future if they were to sign him, having already brought in Leny Yoro last summer.
The Bournemouth defender has already had experience playing for a big club, having come through the youth system of Juventus in Italy and going to Roma on loan before arriving on the English South coast. One of the great unknowns at United is how much they’re going to spend this summer, given Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s recent cost-cutting drive.
Jose Mourinho before Dean Huijsen even played a full 90 minutes for Roma:
💬 “He’s one of the biggest prospects in football and will be a very great player in the future.”
Just one year later, he’s been one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and made his Spain… pic.twitter.com/BvgKVm2fWq
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 25, 2025
As well as any possible financial limitations in place for the Red Devils, the other problem is likely to be the fact that they will face strong competition for Huijsen’s signature. There are rumours that the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are also keen to try to sign him, with the honest truth being that Manchester United simply aren’t the draw that they once were.
It is extremely unlikely that they will have any European football to offer, so the likelihood of a player like the Cherries’ defender picking them over one of the other European giants is slim to say the least.
Jean-Clair Todibo
If finances are to be an issue for Manchester United this summer, then a move for a player like Jean-Clair Todibo might make a bit more sense. He is owned by Nice but has spent the season on loan at West Ham United, which means that he has been gaining some Premier League experience over the past few months.
That is a vital thing for a player to have under their belt if they want to make it in the top-flight and will be something that the Red Devils’ recruitment team will doubtless be bearing in mind. Then there is the INEOS link to Nice to grease the wheels.
The fact that INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company, are the owners of Nice means that any potential transfer would be likely to happen relatively easily. Given the difficulties that the club is going to face this summer in getting deals over the line, something like that shouldn’t be ignored too quickly.
There were rumours that United came close to signing the 25-year-old in the January window, so it isn’t exactly out of the realms of the possible that he makes the move to Old Trafford this summer instead. He has previously been on the books of Barcelona, so big club experience is something he already has in the bank.