Cardiff, Stourbridge and now … Carlisle? Real Madrid have had a decent run with British players in the recent past, and now it seems they are targeting another. Jarrad Branthwaite, hailing from the latter remote Cumbrian city, is the latest to be linked with a sensational move to the Bernabéu after this season’s performances for Everton.
Branthwaite is no stranger to a continental move, impressing on loan at PSV last season, so much so that his then manager, Ruud van Nistelrooy, called him a “complete’ centre-back. Standing at 6ft 5in, speedy and with as much aggression as Martin Keown rushing to laugh in the face of a certain former Manchester United striker, Branthwaite has been scouted by a number of top European clubs this campaign. Carlo Ancelotti was actually the manager to bring him to Everton from Carlisle four years ago – perhaps that will be the factor to swing it in Real Madrid’s favour. Also maybe because they are the most successful club in European history.
Uh oh, here comes another Brighton wonderkid. The Seagulls are set to trigger a reported £8.5m release clause to sign 19-year-old Boca Juniors left-back Valentín Barco, who featured in the Guardian’s NextGen series, back in 2021. Barco is hard to miss, with a head of fiery ginger hair and lovely left foot, and has previously stated that it is his “dream to play in Europe”. Even Boca legend Juan Román Riquelme is a fan: “He does everything well. He’s got so much skill, he strikes the ball so well and he’s growing alongside the bigger stars at the club”.
Genoa’s Radu Dragusin looked like he was on his way to Tottenham for £25m until Bayern Munich screeched into view in the rear-view mirror. After the whole Harry Kane saga, Spurs must be sick of the sight of the German giants but although Tottenham are still in the driving seat, they will hope to finalise the transfer in the next 48 hours. In a strange development, Dragusin arrival at Spurs could then pave the way for Eric Dier to join Bayern, but there are few faxes to be sent before that one becomes a reality.
Ajax are no longer in the Eredivisie relegation zone, but still have around half the points of the Dutch leaders, PSV. Knocked out of their Europa League group, Ajax are still having a tough season and their captain, Steven Bergwijn, is wanted by West Ham, who are short of offensive options following injuries to Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paquetá. Bergwijn would not come cheap though, and Ajax would likely want an improvement on the £26.5m they paid Tottenham in 2022.
Wolves are targeting PSG’s Hugo Ekitike, who has not played a first-team match since August. Ekitike was highly rated when PSG bought the then 20-year-old from Reims back in 2022 for €35m, but the subsequent arrivals of Gonçalo Ramos, Randal Kolo Muani, Ousmane Dembélé and Bradley Barcola has seen him falling down the pecking order in Paris.
Elsewhere, Aston Villa are keen on Lille and Canada striker Jonathan David, while RB Leipzig are set to beat Arsenal to the signature of Croatia teen forward Dino Klapija.
