Manchester United monitoring England star with £68m release clause amid plans for four key signings next summer

Manchester United's provisional plan is to sign a defender, a midfielder and a winger next summer, with Eberechi Eze of interest.

Crystal Palace talisman Eze, 26, is among the forwards United are monitoring ahead of a probable reinforcement on the flanks next year. Eze remained at Palace after the club sold fellow winger Michael Olise to Bayern Munich for £50million.

United are expected to continue tracking Everton centre half Jarrad Branthwaite after having two offers of £43m and £50m rejected for the England international in the summer.

Everton valued Branthwaite at between £70m and £80m in the summer and there was surprise at Goodison Park that United swiftly agreed a €70m deal to sign fellow centre back Leny Yoro from Lille.

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Branthwaite and Eze are under contract to their clubs until 2027. Eze has a release clause of £68m that can be reactivated next year.

United have four wingers following Jadon Sancho's loan move to Chelsea that includes an obligation to buy Sancho for between £20m and £25m. Alejandro Garnacho, 20, and Amad, 22, are still raw, Marcus Rashford has been out of form for a year and €100m flop Antony's only appearance so far this term came as an 89th-minute substitute at Brighton.

New signings Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt bolstered United's central defensive department and manager Erik ten Hag has six options to choose from if all are fit simultaneously.

However, defender Victor Lindelof will be released by United at the end of the season if he stays at the club beyond the January transfer window and this is likely to be the 36-year-old Jonny