Everton attempt to postpone Jarrad Branthwaite transfer amid January window push from Manchester United
Everton want to hold off selling Jarrad Branthwaite until the summer so that he can help them avoid relegation, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The Italian outlet reported via their website on 27 January that Manchester United are pushing to get a deal done before the close of the January transfer window, supposedly worth €40million [£34.2m] plus bonuses.
But the centre-back is deemed one of the “untouchables” by manager Sean Dyche so the Toffees are trying to keep hold of him at least for the next few months.
Branthwaite, 21, has emerged as a crucial member of the starting XI this season after a campaign on loan at PSV Eindhoven, and has been attracting increasingly substantial transfer interest in the past year.
Laughable
The approach from Old Trafford is no surprise but their chances of getting Branthwaite for that price even if Everton did have to let him go this month are surely close to zero.
The fact that the club have been referred for another supposed breach of profit and sustainability rules will no doubt mean interested clubs sense the chance to land a high-quality young defender for a knock-down price.
But unless it is guaranteed to solve the financial pressures at Goodison Park it seems far more important to keep him at the club given his importance to the team.
Dyche overcame the first points deduction pretty easily before form dipped again, but he has his work cut out if a second one were to be imposed this season.
Avoiding the drop with more than 10 points taken away would be very much in the balance even with Branthwaite available for the rest of the campaign.
But if it was Michael Keane lining up next to James Tarkowski then plenty of supporters would resign themselves to the worst.
If the club possibly can keep Branthwaite for years to come then he seems the sort of talent who they could build a team around, but if he absolutely must be sold on then it needs to be for the best part of nine figures, and not this month.
In other Everton news, a club has responded to an offer from Goodison Park to land a replacement for Arnaut Danjuma.
For more Everton news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.