Manchester United don't yet know their transfer budget - but £70m decision could soon change that

If Manchester United get an early deal over the line for Jarrad Branthwaite this month then it might be a boost at the start of the summer transfer window, but it would also wipe out almost all of their initial summer transfer budget.

United came into the summer window with a relatively low starting figure for signings, perhaps as little as £50m, with the finances still constrained by concerns about financial fair play and, in particular, the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules (PSR).

The failure to qualify for the Champions League next season, coupled with the early exit from Europe last season, has put a further strain on United's finances and with Ineos keen to keep the pursestrings tight for now, it always meant a challenging transfer window lay ahead.

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A gross spend of around £50m was never going to do the job this summer when a centre-back and a striker are the priorities. After Everton rejected United's opening £43m gambit for Branthwaite, that figure alone is likely to be busted if and when the first deal is done.

The challenge for United's transfer team, being led by technical director Jason Wilcox and director of football negotiations Matt Hargreaves, is how much they can add to that tally. If the kitty swells by £100m this summer then they would probably have exceeded expectations.

The departures of high-earners Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial will have already created some room on the books and now the target will be to sell players, with a balance to strike between getting deals done swiftly and