Alan Hutton believes Tottenham Hotspur could hijack Manchester United’s move for Jarrad Branthwaite.
Jarrad Branthwaite has made quite a name for himself on the back of his impressive rise at Everton. His consistent performances haven’t gone unnoticed and multiple top clubs are willing to battle it out for his signature.
Manchester United are the ones who have been working hard to sign the England international but according to Alan Hutton Spurs could hijack the deal amidst uncertainty around Cristian Romero’s future at the club.
While speaking to Football Insider, the former Tottenham defender said: “I feel at times [Tottenham] have been light in that sense, actually across the back four,”
“When you look at their starting back line, if any of them get injured or go missing for a good length of time, the players that come in aren’t quite up to the standard.
“To have someone in the door with that potential who could be a regular starter for England moving forward, that could be a great deal.
“He did really well last season, and there are talks [Cristian] Romero could be on the move, so there’s a few things in the pipeline that might lead towards them going for someone like [Branthwaite], and him filling that void at centre-half. I have heard there could be a hijack there, from people I speak to at the club.”
While Tottenham are long-term admirers of the Everton sensation, Manchester United are the ones who have been in pole position for some weeks to sign him. Their initial bid might have been rejected but the Red Devils remain in the mix for his services.
The 21-year-old was a rock at the back for the Merseyside club and he played a big part in their survival in the top flight despite eight points’ worth of PSR deductions. On the back of those performances, he has already made his England and could soon make the jump to a bigger club.
While United seem to be in the driving seat, Hutton believes Branthwaite could be an ideal fit for Spurs backline which has lacked depth for a long while. The backup options haven’t been good enough and having the Everton ace in the squad could give Tottenham an edge.
There has been a lot of talk about Cristian Romero’s future. The Argentine international has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and his future might have a big say on the North London club’s pursuit of the young English centre-back. Hutton has been told that his former club could hijack the deal for the 21-year-old who is expected to reach great heights in years to come.