Why Jarrad Branthwaite makes sense for Man Utd – a two-footed duel winner

Left-footed centre-backs who are comfortable in possession and capable of playing out from the back are one of the most precious profiles in European football. Except if you’re Manchester United, that is, as you already have one on your books.

Of all the signings during the Erik ten Hag era, Lisandro Martinez has been the most successful, even when accounting for an injury-ravaged second season at Old Trafford.

Although some baulked at the initial £47million ($59m) fee, rising to a potential £55.5m, the Argentinian’s blend of committed, aggressive defending and composure in possession were pivotal to the progress made during Ten Hag’s first year in charge.

Martinez’s absence was keenly felt last season, arguably more so than the many other United players who spent extended periods on the treatment table. But with his recovery from foot, knee and calf issues finally complete, there is hope that the 26-year-old will be a regular presence again.

So why then has Jarrad Branthwaite emerged as United’s priority target, with an opening offer of an initial £35million submitted?

Like Martinez, Branthwaite is predominantly left-footed. Like Martinez, he is calm and capable in build-up play. And because of Martinez, United’s priority when assessing centre-back options this summer has been to address the right-hand side of their defence rather than the left.

Branthwaite was invariably deployed on the left of Everton’s defence last season but he has comfortably and adeptly played on the opposite side too.

Ten of Branthwaite’s 24 starts during his loan spell at PSV Eindhoven during the 2022-23 campaign saw him deployed on the right of the defence when alongside the left-footed Armando Obispo. If partnering the right-footed Andre Ramalho, he switched to the left.

That was under the tutelage of Ruud van Nistelrooy, PSV’s head coach that year, who earned a runners-up Eredivisie finish and won the KNVB Cup.

Branthwaite playing for PSV against Arsenal in the 2022-23 Europa League (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

The former United striker recently hailed Branthwaite’s development that year, highlighting “touches he has on the left and right in the build-up” in an interview with The Coaches’ Voice.

Branthwaite is, in fact, more than comfortable on his right foot. “I’ve got a five-star weak foot on the new FIFA,” he excitedly told Everton’s official website last season. It is no bug. “If I’m hitting a long pass, I’ll go with my left; short passes with my right,” he explained.

Analysis by The Athletic in February found Branthwaite was, in fact, one of the most two-footed players in the Premier League at that time. Despite being deployed on the left by Sean Dyche, he still played 41 per cent of his passes with his right foot.

Branthwaite had one of the most even splits across the top flight, with only one centre-back able to claim they are more ‘ambipedal’ — able to play with both feet. That was the defender Branthwaite would replace should he arrive at Old Trafford. Not Martinez, but Raphael Varane.

Varane is naturally right-footed and Ten Hag expressed doubts last season as to whether he or Harry Maguire could fill in on that side for the absent Martinez. “The build-up is not that fluid when one of them is playing from the left centre-back position,” he said.

Yet, after being forced to start Varane on the left alongside Maguire in the defeat to Bayern Munich in December, Ten Hag came around to the idea. Varane played on the left side of defence eight times last season, even while partnering the two-footed Jonny Evans.

Evans is, in fact, an inverse of Branthwaite, with his 41-59 per cent split favouring his right. Victor Lindelof’s ability to play with both feet has also been talked up by Ten Hag in the past, but Varane was still preferred on the left of their partnerships on several occasions.

The lesson is that Ten Hag will not hesitate to play a centre-back on their unnatural side so long as they can play with their weaker foot. Should United’s pursuit of Branthwaite be successful, the fact he is stronger on his left should not prevent him from partnering Martinez.

Branthwaite’s other eye-catching ability — as highlighted by Van Nistelrooy — is his duel-winning. Defined by Opta as a 50-50 contest between two players of opposing sides in the match, only six other Premier League defenders had a greater rate of success in duels than the Everton defender last season.

Again, Varane’s name pops up. Branthwaite’s success rate is only marginally behind the former United defender and just sneaks ahead of Maguire. During Ten Hag’s first season, Varane and Diogo Dalot scored relatively well by the same measure.

Winning duels and defending contested possession is critical to the type of transitional style that Ten Hag seemed to prefer for much of last season and an over-reliance on defenders winning those battles is arguably where that style of play at times came apart.

Branthwaite’s dominance in duels, two-footedness and ability to play on either side of the defence make him an excellent candidate to replace several of Varane’s key strengths. But while he would also be a substantially lighter load on the wage bill, Branthwaite will not be cheap.

Everton consider any prospective sale of the 21-year-old to be in the same bracket as those of Maguire, Josko Gvardiol and Wesley Fofana, all of whom joined their current clubs for fees above £75million.

United’s opening offer, a £43m package in total, is low in that context and unsurprisingly viewed as unacceptable by the Goodison Park hierarchy.

Everton’s financial concerns and need to comply with the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability regulations (PSR) could ultimately force a sale, but the noises coming out of Goodison have always cautioned against a cut-price deal.

Quite what a potential takeover by the Friedkin Group, the Texas-based owner of Roma, would mean for Everton’s financial position remains to be seen.

And while the 30 June cut-off for the current PSR cycle is fast approaching, United are also operating on a tighter budget than in previous summers. Net spends of around £188m and £125m in Ten Hag’s first two seasons will almost certainly not be repeated, with a net budget of approximately £50m set.

A deal for Branthwaite alone could exceed that figure, meaning sales would be necessary to bring United’s spending back in line. But he would not be a luxury addition, signed to sit behind Martinez or dislodge him from the starting line-up. Branthwaite is a player and profile that United have rightly prioritised.

GO DEEPER

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite leads Europe for duels won – England call-up is no shock

(Top photo: Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images)