Three Exciting Transfer Targets Man Utd Could Hand Pochettino to Ignite His Reign

Manchester United have identified three Premier League-tested defensive options for the January window, according to reports, with Brentford's Nathan Collins and Fulham's Calvin Bassey joining Everton mainstay Jarrad Branthwaite on a shortlist that could fall under Mauricio Pochettino's management in the coming months.

Regardless of who occupies the dugout at Old Trafford, United's need for defensive reinforcement is undeniable. The club have gone over two years without signing a defender, and Michael Carrick has fielded the exact same back four that started Erik ten Hag's first game of the 2022–23 campaign.

Lisandro Martínez's position at the club looks increasingly uncertain after he publicly criticized sporting director Jason Wilcox, who has yet to bring in a single player to challenge the Argentine for his spot. Should the World Cup winner depart in January—the final opportunity for United to recoup a fee on a player entering the last stretch of his contract—the urgency to strengthen the defense would intensify further.

Consistent with the club's recent transfer approach, United are pursuing established Premier League names, with the trio of Collins, Bassey and Branthwaite highlighted by the Daily Mail. The targets share several similarities, though notable distinctions exist between them.

Profiles Snapshot

Which Target Would Suit Pochettino's Man Utd Best?

All three centre-backs are tall, physical and battle-hardened Premier League performers — exactly the kind of imposing presence United's backline lacks beyond Harry Maguire and the perpetually sidelined Matthijs de Ligt. Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven both show promise — Carrick has acknowledged as much despite their persistent string of errors — but a pair of 20-year-olds can hardly be expected to hold firm while the club continues to crumble around them.

Collins has shown the mental fortitude to bounce back from adversity. In December 2023, the Republic of Ireland international was directly responsible for two costly goals in a 4–1 thrashing by his former club, Wolverhampton Wanderers. "It will never be worse than this," Brentford's then-manager Thomas Frank told his dejected defender.

When the Bees met Wolves in the FA Cup barely a month later, Collins got on the scoresheet. Within eighteen months, he had been handed the captain's armband.

The 25-year-old is a fixture in Brentford's starting lineup when available, organizing a disciplined defensive unit capable of pressing high or sitting deep depending on the situation. That tactical versatility could prove invaluable to Pochettino, whose most successful sides have always been built around an aggressive, high-pressing philosophy.

This is an area where Jarrad Branthwaite comes up short, though largely due to circumstances beyond his control.

Everton operate without a proactive press, ranking among the most passive sides in the Premier League under David Moyes's trademark compact setup. The aerial dominance offered by the 6'5" Branthwaite is nonetheless a prized asset on Merseyside.

Bassey stands four inches shorter and is considerably less effective in aerial duels. However, the Nigeria international has established himself as a capable progressive passer under Álvaro Arbeloa, who has been working to overhaul Fulham's entire playing identity.

Arbeloa has relied heavily on Bassey's expanding skill set during his opening months in west London and has publicly called on Fulham to tie him down to a new deal. "For me, right now, he's one of the best center backs, not just in the Premier League, in the world," the former Real Madrid boss declared earlier this campaign.

Branthwaite is no stranger to playing out from the back either, and carries the added advantage of being nearly equally comfortable on both feet — making him a natural fit for the left-sided role that Martínez could vacate in January.

Each of the three candidates brings distinct qualities to the table, but Collins covers the widest range of attributes, offering reliability both with and without the ball while also displaying those harder-to-quantify leadership qualities away from the pitch.