Ally McCoist tips ‘Brilliant’ Everton star to win Premier League award
Ally McCoist has tipped Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite to win the Premier League Young Player of the Season award before leaving this summer.
Branthwaite has been linked with a move to top clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, Newcastle and Manchester City this summer with the Toffees struggling financially and battling against relegation.
His performances this season have earned him plenty of plaudits and a first call-up to the senior England team, and speaking on talkSPORT (3 April) McCoist believes he deserves to be in the running for the Young Player of the Season award before leaving the club to play at the highest level.
“When it comes to the Young Player of the Season, obviously Phil Foden certainly springs to mind, but I want to give a mention to Jarrad Branthwaite, who has also been brilliant,” he said.
“I’d look no further than him to be honest and I think he’s done enough to earn a big move in the summer. Everton fans won’t thank me for saying it, but it looks like they might have to sell him in the summer for Financial Fair Play reasons.
“James Tarkowski has raved about him in the past, saying he could play at any level, and now he’s got himself into the England squad. I actually thought he might’ve been given a runout against Belgium but it wasn’t to be.
“Is he ready to play at the highest level for a team like Manchester City? Absolutely. I don’t think he’d have any problems at a bigger club.”
Jarrad Branthwaite Everton exit looks inevitable
The future of the football club is very much up in the air right now, with nobody sure of who will be running the club or what division they will be playing in in the coming months.
But one thing that looks almost certain is that Branthwaite won’t be playing at the club next season, such is the talk about the clubs interested in him and the financial situation at Everton.
The big question is about how much he will go for because Everton clearly need funds, but they don’t want to undersell themselves and other clubs won’t want to overpay knowing the crisis going on at Goodison Park.
But Everton will no doubt be able to ramp up their asking price a little bit more if Branthwaite can win the Premier League award as it would show just how great his potential is.
The chances of him actually winning it are slim because there is a clear bias towards teams at the top end of the table, but Branthwaite being in that conversation at all is a credit to him and the club for his development.
In other Everton news, the club’s short-term future is ‘at great risk’ despite the protracted 777 takeover according to one journalist.
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