Man Utd could repeat Rooney masterclass by sealing “magnificent” late £40m transfer – opinion.

Opinion: Manchester United could repeat Rooney’s masterclass by completing a “magnificent” late £40 million transfer.On Thursday, Manchester United can begin their Premier League campaign with a match against Wolves.

The 4-2 loss suffered by Erik ten Hag’s squad over Newport County over the weekend served to underscore their deficiency at the back.In light of this, the Dutch manager must consider making an acquisition of a new defender in order to fortify the backline.

New center-back acquisition for Manchester United

TEAMtalk cites Italian sources as saying that Manchester United are attempting to finalize a transfer for Jarrad Branthwaite.Reportedly, the Everton player is available for a staggering £40 million plus incentives, which is over fifty percent of his value to the Toffees.

United have little, if any, spending money available this month; however, they are ‘pushing’ Sir Jim Ratcliffe and company to complete a deal in the final days of the transfer window in an effort to acquire Branthwaite on a cheap contract.An encore performance by Wayne Rooney. An illustrious figure for Manchester United, he established himself as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer with 253 goals in 539 appearances.Alongside five Premier League championships, the scouser-turned-Mancunian accomplished everything, including scoring a hat-trick in his Champions League debut and subsequently winning the trophy years later.

Everton sold Wayne Rooney to the Red Devils for approximately £30 million in the summer of 2004. United could replicate that masterstroke by acquiring Branthwaite, who could also emulate the legendary striker by making the transfer from Merseyside to Manchester.

Wayne Rooney United of ManchesterAlthough he is not quite as young as he was when ‘Wazza’ transferred to Old Trafford, the 21-year-old has started 18 Premier League games for Everton this season and has been a rock at the back. Alan Shearer concurs with this assessment, praising the defender’s “magnificent” performances in the Toffees’ defense. Although he is still quite young, he has performed like an accomplished veteran in the left central defender position. That sounds very much like Rooney.The assets and weaknesses of Branthwaite

Consider how Branthwaite would integrate into the United squad, given that the statistics unequivocally demonstrate that he would flourish donning the Red Devils logo.As the preceding table, which contrasts the defender’s ranking to that of positionally comparable players in the Premier League, demonstrates, Branthwaite is a defender by nature.

His composure and lack of impetuous decision-making render him succinct, but he is not averse to engaging in physical altercations. With a high number of dribblers confronted, the Everton defender’s athleticism enables him to match quick attackers. Furthermore, his astuteness is demonstrated through his interceptions and ball recoveries.

However, his aptitude with the ball is an aspect of his game that he has been unable to showcase for Everton, who are frequently underdogs.Undoubtedly, the 21-year-old demonstrated indications of this during his loan stint at PSV, as his long pass completion percentage ranked within the top 6% among defenders in the Eredivisie and his touches in the mid-third occupied the top 20%, according to FBref. These figures affirm not only his proficiency as a passer but also his ease in transitioning into higher zones with the ball.

United would provide the ideal setting for him to demonstrate his remarkable abilities as a defender of international caliber. By potentially emulating Wayne Rooney, Branthwaite could become the bargain of 2024 for a fee of £40 million.