Chris Beesley shares what he’s been told about Liverpool transfer interest in Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite
Liverpool have made no contact with Everton regarding a move for Jarrad Branthwaite, according to Liverpool ECHO journalist Chris Beesley.
Reports from a Daily Mail (1 October) article this week suggested that the Toffees Merseyside rivals were planning an audacious move for the prized centre-back.
It is not the first time such reports have been suggested but Beesley said Everton were “blindsided” by the previous links to the Reds with those close to him also being “unaware” of any interest in the 22-year-old from the Toffees’ arch-rivals, and that the situation has not changed.
Beesley wrote: “It was a move that blindsided both club insiders and those close to the England international’s camp who were each left claiming to be unaware where such speculation had come from.
“At the time, the ECHO understood there had been zero contact from Liverpool with Everton on the matter. Following an article in the Daily Mail this week, again speculating on Branthwaite’s future, this correspondent has been given the same message”.
Everton need to keep Jarrad Branthwaite
Everton made an abysmal start to the Premier League campaign, taking just a solitary point from their opening five Premier League matches and surrendering two-goal leads on in back-to-back games against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
They finally chalked up a tick in the win column in the top flight with a comeback 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace last time out, with Dwight McNeil scoring a fantastic brace.
That game just so happened to coincide with Branthwaite’s return from injury and that just encapsulated how important the 22-year-old is to this team and manager Sean Dyche.
The truth is that regardless of the outcome of Dan Friedkin’s takeover, it feels like Branthwaite will eventually depart Goodison Park because one of Europe’s biggest spenders will open the chequebook to make an offer that cannot be refused.
But, simply speaking, it just cannot be that Everton agree to sell Branthwaite to their biggest rivals, it would be a huge error from all involved. Let’s rack this one up in the “never going to happen” category.
In other Everton news, an update has been provided on the injury status of Seamus Coleman.
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