Branthwaite transfer release clause emerges after MU target signed new contract

Manchester United made two bids to sign Jarrad Branthwaite in the summer of 2024 and now the defender has signed a new contract with Everton which includes an eye-watering release clause

Manchester United have discovered what it'll take to finally sign Jarrad Branthwaite. Branthwaite, 23, was the subject of two bids from United in 2024, with the Red Devils' second offer worth a total of £50million.

Everton rejected both proposals, valuing the defender much higher. After helping the Toffees soar away from the relegation scrap and cement their Premier League status last season, Branthwaite has signed a new five-year contract, putting him among the Merseyside club's highest earners.

The deal keeps him at Everton's new stadium on Bramley-Moore Dock until 2030. But they'll be powerless to stop Branthwaite from leaving if a club actives his release clause and agrees personal terms - as United reportedly did a year ago before they turned to Leny Yoro.

According to the Mail, his new contract includes an exit clause worth more than £70m which becomes active next summer. Branthwaite is happy working under Toffees manager David Moyes but has ambitions of playing Champions League football and breaking into the England squad.

The 23-year-old made his senior debut for the Three Lions in June of last year before missing out on Gareth Southgate's squad for the European Championship. Branthwaite is yet to receive a call-up since Thomas Tuchel was appointed.

But the centre-back's stock has remained high, with Tottenham said to have considered making an approach earlier this summer. The former Carlisle United prospect was also linked with a sensational move to Real Madrid during ex-Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti's tenure which ended in May.

It remains to be seen whether the Spanish giants will renew their interest, as Liverpool star Ibrahima Konate appears to be their top defensive target for 2026. Should a club cough up Everton's asking price, Mirror Football understands that a portion of the fee would go to Carlisle, who negotiated a sell-on clause upon his departure in January 2020.

For now, though, Branthwiate is firmly focussed on helping the Toffees get off to a successful start in their new home after leaving Goodison Park. "I'm over the moon. It's been something we've been talking about since the end of the season and to get it signed now is something I'm really excited about," he told club media.

Will Jarrad Branthwaite be worth more than £70m next summer? Give us your prediction in the comments section.

"The trust the club's put in me and how many games I've played over the past two seasons has made it quite an easy decision for me to stay and to keep progressing as a player. I know the club. I feel loved by the players - we've got a good group here - and the fans.

"Over the past few years, I've seen the impact the fans have on us as a team and how much it means to them. And, obviously, with the new stadium we've got here, the new ownership and the new manager, it's an exciting project and it's something I want to be part of.

"Moving to the new stadium together and having that first game at home is something we're all looking forward to. We want to go again and push for a good season."