Everton transfer news: U-turn claim emerges on exit-bound defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Jarrad Branthwaite may reportedly still have a future at Everton as Sean Dyche’s stance on the centre-back has been revealed.
According to the Guardian [17 June], the 20-year-old will be given an opportunity to play his way back into the manager’s plans at the European Under-21 Championship in Georgia and Romania.
He had a successful season on loan at PSV Eindhoven and in an interview with Voetbal Primeur on 7 June said he’s open to leaving the Toffees for good this summer with the Daily Mail [12 June] claiming that they would be open to a deal worth £20million.
Makes sense
Funds are going to be in short supply at Goodison Park this summer so it makes sense to make the most of the players currently at the club.
Branthwaite has shown that he can perform in the top flight at a club fighting for big goals and there’s no reason to think he can’t do a job at Everton.
The Toffees have lost Yerry Mina and Conor Coady so are already two defenders short and Dyche has surely realised that he cannot trust Ben Godfrey and Michael Keane to partner James Tarkowski.
If there isn’t a quality centre-back addition, we do see the manager sticking with Branthwaite and he’ll certainly be keeping tabs on how he does at the EUROs.
There’s a chance that Godfrey or Keane also leave so that will all but certainly guarantee Branthwaite staying put at Everton.
The Toffees anyway want a “huge” asking fee for him so any move will have to involve a lot of money – something the clubs interested might not have.