Even though the January transfer window is still open, Jim Ratcliffe, Manchester United’s new minority stakeholder, already seems to be working hard on possible summer team additions.

A defender from Everton named Jarrad Branthwaite is one of them; according to recent sources, United is first in line to sign him, ahead of a number of Premier League teams. He is considered a long-term objective by manager Erik ten Hag and his recruitment team, although there are other backline players who are catching their attention.

Everton, Jarrad, Branthwaite, Premier League
Ten Hag considers center-back Gleison Bremer to be the “ideal” match for United, and there has been a promising update on the Red Devils’ chances of acquiring him. It has been reported that United is meeting with Juventus to examine Bremer’s availability.

Leading the way for the £60 million Bremer

Calciomercato claims that United is in the lead to sign Bremer this summer. The Brazilian has been “trailed” by them “for some time now” as they look for a “reliable center-back,” and they believe he would “adapt perfectly” to the English premier league.

Manchester United Premier League market value (mainoo)
Bremer just signed a new contract a few months ago that will increase his salary through the summer of 2028, but Juventus’ philosophy allows any player to leave if the proper offer comes in. Bremer plans to drive a hard bargain in this situation, requesting a fixed fee of approximately £60 million (meaning United won’t be able to meet their demands with add-ons).

Bremer would make an attempt to modernise Varane.

Bremer, who was dubbed a “animal” by his former Torino teammate Mergim Vojvoda, was recognised as one of the best players in Europe at his position last season when he was named to the Team of the Season and won the Best Defender award in Serie A in 2021/22.

But for United, the key question is whether he’s an improvement over Raphael Varane, who is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer after the team declined to exercise its option to extend his contract by an additional year.

Comparing the stats of two different defenders is challenging because their amount of action varies according to how much they are expected to accomplish during a given game. Rather of showcasing their talent, it highlights their busy schedule.

Nonetheless, there are a few useful measurements. Though Bremer makes more progressive passes than Varane, as you can see in the table below, he is a more accurate distributor—though it should be noted that Bremer attempts nearly twice as many long balls per game.

Stat

Bremer Gleison

Rafael Varane

achieving passing accuracy

86.2%

88.9%

attempts at long passes per ninety

8.52

4.78

90 progressive passes are made.

2.58

4.67

Dribblers engaged in combat

66.7% of the sample

62.5% of cases

Success rate of aerial duelling

63.6% of the sample

88.9%

Regarding the principles of defence, Bremer is superior at stopping attackers’ runs. Varane may seem to have a significant advantage in the air, but he has only engaged in 18 duels compared to his opponent’s 107. We can anticipate that United will keep a close eye on the Juventus star until the conclusion of the season as they determine how much they’re willing to pay for his services. United is already resolved to move on from the Frenchman.