View: Interest in Branthwaite proves Everton have talent on their hands
Everton have an impressive record over the past few seasons of recruiting young talent from the Football League, and it appears as though they have continued along that tried and true path once again with Jarrad Branthwaite.
The young defender joined the Blues from Carlisle United in January 2020 and has impressed with Blackburn Rovers this season, having joined Tony Mowbray’s side in January of this year on a short-term loan deal.
Now Mail Online are reporting that Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City are all keeping tabs on the defender’s progress, which would indicate that Everton have once again recruited well from the lower divisions.
Over the past five years Everton have signed a number of talented young players from the Football League to great effect, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Holgate and current Man City star John Stones the pick of the bunch.
Dating back to a time in which Everton didn’t have deep enough pockets to fully explore the foreign market, the club have always excelled at plucking hidden gems from obscurity, and Branthwaite appears to be the next polished diamond off the production line.
Still just 18-years old, Branthwaite has already impressed Carlo Ancelotti in the Premier League, having made four league appearances for the Toffees last season after being thrust in at the deep end.
Though Mail Online claim that the club could grow concerned if other sides begin to firm up interest in Branthwaite, we at Goodison News don’t necessarily believe that to be the case.
Branthwaite has been earmarked as someone who could become a first-team regular for Everton in the future, so the club must see additional interest in the player as a clear indication that his progression is coming along nicely.
Everton are no longer a club that are forced to baulk when larger outfits begin to eye their talent, because we are now in a financial position to command negotiations.
Unless Branthwaite was to specifically push for a move away from Goodison Park, something which does seem unlikely this early in his career, the Blues should have no cause for concern regarding his long-term future.
If anything, interest in Branthwaite’s signature can only be a good sign of how the player is developing, and an indication of what more could come from the left-sided starlet in the future.
In other Everton news, ex-Blue Kevin Campbell believes Ancelotti is ahead of schedule with his Everton project.