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Chelsea are prepared to make a move for £70 million-rated Manchester United target Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, as per reports. The Everton man is regarded as one of the best young defenders in England, leading to interest in him from leading Premier League sides.
Daily Mail reports that Enzo Maresca's side are set to submit an offer to sign Branthwaite after wrapping up the transfer of Liam Delap from Ipswich Town. They will rival Manchester United, whose interest in the England international dates back over a year.
Chelsea are intent on signing central defensive cover due to the injury problems faced by Wesley Fofana over the years, as well as the uncertainty surrounding the future of Benoit Badiashile. They wished to sign Spanish youngster Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth but lost out to Real Madrid in the race for the 20-year-old Bournemouth man.
Branthwaite was the subject of multiple offers from United last summer with Erik ten Hag still in charge of the club. Everton turned down all theee of their bids, holding out for a £70 million fee to sell their homegrown talent.
Jarrad Branthwaite features prominently in the Blues' plans as they look to sign a partner for Levi Colwill at the back. The 22-year-old is capable of playing as a right-sided centre-back as well as playing as a left-sided centre-back, as he has shown so far in his career.
Branthwaite made 30 league appearances for the Toffees in the 2024-25 season and will be considering his future after another impressive season. The young centre-back will be inclined to joining Chelsea over Manchester United if he has to make a choice due to the Blues having qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
Manchester United show interest in Chelsea ace: Reports
Manchester United have shown an interest in a transfer for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson this summer, as per reports. The Red Devils are keen to sign a new striker in this window and have missed out on Liam Delap, who has an agreement in place to join the Blues.
According to FootballTransfers, Ruben Amorim's side have identified Jackson as a target, and will approach his club to make enquiries about a transfer. They regard the Senegal international as an upgrade on both Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund after his two seasons in blue.
Nicolas Jackson has a contract at Stamford Bridge until 2033, having signed an extension early in the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old scored 13 goals and provided five assists in 34 appearances across all competitions for the Blues.
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Sulayman Salahudeen
Sulayman is a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. He has an overall experience of 4 years, having previously worked at the likes of SportsRation and ExtraTimeTalk. His tryst with the sport happened at a young age, playing it at home and watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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