Despite picking up an extremely vital 4-3 victory over Liverpool last time out, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Manchester United struggle against Brentford at the weekend.
Erik ten Hag’s side have certainly lacked consistency throughout the season, hence their sixth-place position in the Premier League.
The biggest issue for the former Ajax boss this season, and arguably the reason why United have struggled, has been the continuous injuries that have plagued the squad and particularly the defence.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at which Premier League defender is on the radar of Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who could enable the Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand partnership to be replicated.
Man United’s search for a centre-back
According to a report from Mike McGrath in The Telegraph, Man United are looking at Jarrad Branthwaite as a potential summer signing.
Ten Hag is keen to bolster the defence in the summer, with Lisandro Martinez, Harry Maguire, and Raphael Varane all suffering injuries this campaign.
It is reported that a fee of at least £50m would be required to sign the promising defender.
However, what plays into the hands of United is Everton’s current situation, as a valuable player like Branthwaite will likely be sold in order to raise funds.
Man Utd's "Rolls-Royce" star could help turn McTominay into a monster
The return of one player could just change Man Utd’s season.
ByTom LeverMar 24, 2024 Man United could unleash Rio & Vidic 2.0
The defensive duo of Ferdinand and Vidic will not only go down as arguably the finest centre-half partnership to have ever played for Man United, but also one of the best to have graced the Premier League.
The centre-halves won five Premier League titles and one Champions League as a pairing at Old Trafford under Sir Alex Ferguson, which just proves how dominant they truly were.
Therefore, it’s no surprise to see Ratcliffe want to mirror such a successful centre-half duo, and Branthwaite could allow the new owner to do just that.
This season, the English rock has been superb for the Toffees, starting 25 Premier League games and keeping seven clean sheets, with even Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “monster.”
Goals
2
Possesion lost (per game)
9.1
Duels won (per game)
5.3
Clearances (per game)
4.2
Tackles (per game)
2
Dribbled past (per game)
0.3
Interceptions (per game)
1.6
As you can see, the 21-year-old’s stats support that judgement, with the former PSV star excelling during defensive tasks as well as on the ball, especially considering he plays for a side that only averages 40% possession per game.
If he were to join the Red Devils, Branthwaite would take on the role of Ferdinand due to his ability to defend with control and be dynamic, as shown by his dribbled past, tackles, and interception stats.
On the other hand, United’s answer to Vidic would be Martinez, as his profile is extremely similar to the former rock in terms of his aggressive approach to defending and often putting his body on the line for the team – as his 'Butcher' nickname can attest to.
This proactive style of play from the Serbian always meant that Ferdinand acted as a sweeper, using his speed and excellent reading of the game to mop up any passes in behind the pushed-up Vidic.
Therefore, the signing of Branthwaite would enable that exact relationship to form once again, with the Everton defender having a calm and collected profile, just like the former United number five.
However, Ten Hag and Ratcliffe can only hope that they could perform anywhere near the standards of the former formidable partnership.