REDS WANT WILCOX TO OPEN JARR
MANCHESTER UNITED are hoping the arrival of Jason Wilcox in the club’s recruitment team will give them an edge in the race to land Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Wilcox, the former Manchester City academy chief who is now working as the director of football at Southampton, will arrive at Old Trafford once Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group have agreed a compensation package with the Saints.
The former Premier League-winning winger has a close working relationship with Branthwaite’s agent David Reeves – and United believe his appointment will secure the instant bonus of helping them to attract Branthwaite to the club.
Wilcox (below) worked with a number of Reeves’ clients when he was at the Etihad.
One of those was Shea Charles, the 20-year-old Northern Ireland midfielder who came through the ranks at City before joining Wilcox at St Mary’s in an £11million deal last summer.
City have also been monitoring Branthwaite’s meteoric rise at Goodison and view him as the potential new John Stones, while Tottenham are also big admirers of the player who was named in England’s squad for the first time last month for the friendlies against Brazil and Belgium.
Everton’s stance is that they do not want to sell the most coveted asset, who is valued at around £70m.
But they have been docked points on two occasions this season after failing to meet the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules – and clubs are keeping an eye on the Toffees’ financial situation.
Branthwaite has been outstanding despite Everton’s struggles in the lower reaches of the table.
Ratcliffe wants the focus to be on top English talent at United – and signing Branthwaite would be a real statement of intent.
The Reds new co-owner is keen to shift a number of big earners off the Old Trafford wage bill this summer and is hoping John Murtough’s work in building contacts in Saudi Arabia will pay dividends despite his departure as United’s director of football last week.
United are hoping Saudi Pro League clubs will splash the cash to land star names like Casemiro, Rafael Varane and Christian Eriksen as they look to generate cash to finance a move for Branthwaite.