Manchester United and Tottenham are leading the race to land Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.

Interest is rife in the 21-year-old following a string of exceptional displays in the struggling Toffees' backline this term.

Though the Merseysiders have no desire to sell their prized asset, struggles on the pitch combined with financial woes off it may force their hand.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are also admirers of the England Under-21s star but the Mail say it is United and Spurs who are currently pushing hardest for a deal.

Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group will take over football operations at Old Trafford imminently and hope to bolster Erik ten Hag's backline this summer with two young central defenders.

Meanwhile, Branthwaite's speed and composure make him a perfect fit for the high line employed by Ange Postecoglou's rapidly improving Tottenham. 

Should Everton stay in the Premier League, they will demand in the region of £100million before sanctioning a sale — a fee still unlikely to deter interested parties.

Such a deal would be music to the ears of Branthwaite's boyhood club Carlisle, with the League One outfit set to pocket between 10% and 20% of any sum received.

In other news

Fabrizio Romano claims Bayern Munich made a late enquiry to take Mykhailo Mudryk on loan last month but Chelsea had no intention of letting the 23-year-old leave.

Brentford are eyeing up Lille's Canadian striker Jonathan David, 24, as a potential Ivan Toney replacement according to Football Transfers.

Italian media suggest Newcastle and West Ham are ready to battle it out for Genoa's 26-year-old Icelandic forward Albert Gudmundsson.