Manchester United are in talks with Everton over a deal for Branthwaite and have seen an offer of £35m plus £8m in add-ons rejected.

You can imagine the hysteria that’s caused by Manchester United contacting a club about the possibility of buying one of their players.

For far too long United have been taken for a ride in the market, boosting the transfer kitties of clubs all over Europe far more than was necessary. But that looks set to change.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made no secret of his views on United’s transfer business in recent years, describing the club as ‘the dumb money’ back in 2019. The United co-owner discussed his plans for the transfer window with Bloomberg this week, and while he admitted the club were ‘handicapped’ by two of his major appointments serving prolonged periods of gardening leave, it’s clear the Ineos chief is determined to rebuild United’s reputation in the market.

His first major test comes in the shape of Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite. A bid of £35million plus £8m in add-ons has already been rejected, with the Toffees understood to value their prized asset at between £70m and £80m.

It’s clear there’s a deal to be done, and Everton will likely take heart from the £80m Leicester squeezed out of United for Harry Maguire back in 2019. The £86m paid to Ajax for Antony in 2022 is even better evidence of the success to be had from holding your nerve in talks with United.

Everton are all too aware of the need to work within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability (PSR) rules having been docked points for not doing so last season. A prolonged transfer saga with United is usually a golden ticket for any club desperate to raise funds, but this is a different United.

The Toffees are well within their rights to demand a lofty fee for a 21-year-old England international, but refusing to negotiate and holding out for your original valuation won’t necessarily deliver the desired result when it comes to dealing with the new United.

A major squad overhaul is expected to take place at Old Trafford this summer, with MEN Sport understanding outgoings could reach double figures. The money generated from said departures will determine Erik ten Hag’s transfer budget, but even with plenty of sellable assets at their disposal, it’s difficult to envisage United splashing out £70m on one player this summer.

Everton need to be open-minded when discussing a fee for Branthwaite. Otherwise, expect United to walk away from the table. That’s not something we’ve seen too often in recent years and might be the last thing Everton expect to happen.