Premier League giants Manchester United are prepared to offer England international and EFL product Harry Maguire in a part-exchange for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Branthwaite has had an impressive season in the Premier League for Everton, which ended with him narrowly missing out on the England Euro 2024 squad.
This has led to Man United making him one of their top priorities to sign this summer. The Mail Online reported that Man United had their initial £43million rejected, with Everton expecting much more for the 21-year-old.
The Mirror have reported that the Red Devils are prepared to send Maguire to Goodison Park as part of their offer for Branthwaite.
Maguire has spent time at Hull City, Leicester City, Wigan Athletic and Sheffield United before linking up with Manchester United in 2019. He is one of the stand out products of the EFL’s progression into the Premier League and England infrastructure.
How do Maguire’s and Branthwaite’s seasons compare?
Maguire was one of several Man United players to struggle with injuries this season. He played just 22 Premier League games, 18 from the start. In those 22 games, he scored two and picked up four yellow cards. WhoScored gave Maguire an average Premier League rating of 6.87.
In comparison, Branthwaite played 35 Premier League games, all from the start. He scored three goals and received eight yellow cards. His WhoScored average Premier League rating was 6.9.
When we look in more detail at the defensive statistics of both players, Branthwaite averaged more tackles, interceptions, and clearances per game. He also conceded fewer fouls per game compared to Maguire.
How long is left on both their contracts?
Branthwaite signed a new deal at Goodison Park in October 2023 and is set to expire in June 2027. According to Capology, Branthwaite earns £35,000 per week at Everton. The length of time left on his deal can only work to benefit Everton, who can push for a bigger fee because of the long contract he’s tied to.
Maguire’s current deal is set to expire at the end of the upcoming 2024/25 season. The former Man United captain is earning £190,000 per week, according to Capology.
How likely is a deal to happen? – Opinion
Everton’s financial difficulties make this an interesting one. They’ll not want to sell their best players, especially one with a promising future. However, if the fee is right, it could be a big financial boost for them, and they could use it to improve their squad.
Their finances will also impact any deal made with Maguire. Above we discussed his £190,000 per week wage. Given Everton’s financial issues, it’s unlikely they’ll be willing to part with such a large sum of money for one player’s salary.
Maguire’s also approaching a crucial part of his career. He’ll be keen to start getting regular football. Maybe his only option is to accept a big wage cut to guarantee minutes.