Jarrad Branthwaite has opened up on transfer speculation last summer, which saw him linked with a move to Manchester United.

The Reds bid twice for the Everton defender, having offered £45million plus £5m in add-ons, after seeing a £43m bid turned down. The Manchester Evening News wrote in May last year that Branthwaite, 21, was valued at between £70m and £80m by the Toffees.

However, United felt that Everton's valuation of the centre-back was unrealistic, and he stayed put at Goodison Park. Branthwaite missed six of Everton’s opening seven Premier League games this season after having groin surgery but has featured in every league game for them since the end of October.

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And the England international has now spoken about the transfer speculation that saw him being linked with a move to Old Trafford.

“I think for any player it’s difficult when you’ve got interest and you know it’s solid interest," he said in the club's match-day programme before last month's 0-0 draw against Chelsea.

"But, for me, I just try to focus on myself and what I can affect - and that was the performances every day in training and the performances on the pitch.

“If I perform well then it’s good for me and the team. So I think that’s the main thing for me.

"I don’t get too dragged into it all. I just keep focused on what I can do and what I can affect, really, and that’s the way I’ll keep doing it.”

United are unlikely to make a move for Branthwaite in the January transfer window, with the Reds needing to sell to buy due to PSR constraints.