Tottenham ready bid to sign Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as January transfer crisis meeting held
Tottenham are readying a January bid for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, according to the Daily Mail.
The newspaper reported via their print edition on Thursday (23 November, page 75) that Spurs have held a meeting this week to talk about defenders they could sign in January due to an injury crisis in North London.
Micky van de Ven’s torn hamstring against Chelsea and Eric Dier’s contract running out at the end of the season has forced Spurs’ hand, which may see them record Branthwaite in their list of potential targets, it is understood.
Ange Postecoglou’s side are also reported to be targeting the likes of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw, Morato of Benfica and Gonacio Inacio from Sporting Lisbon.
Almost too good
There is no surprise that a top-level club are after Branthwaite’s signature.
Since returning from his PSV Eindhoven loan, the 21-year-old has finally cemented his spot in Sean Dyche’s starting XI, replacing two experienced defenders in Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey.
The central defender has impressed in his 10 Premier League performances so far this season.
Ahead of the likes of James Tarkowski, Vitalii Mykolenko and Idrissa Gueye, Branthwaite has made the second-most tackles and blocks, the most clearances, and is within Everton’s top five accurate passes per game.
It should come as no surprise to see Spurs’ interest in one of the most promising young centre-backs in the league, but it could be a difficult task attempting to draw the player away from Goodison Park, where he has risen through the ranks and built an ever-growing career.
In other Everton news, Neville Southall tells Premier League to “shove it” in reaction to 10-point deduction.