Jarrad Branthwaite exit update at Everton after Manchester City reveal

Everton selling Jarrad Branthwaite in January would be "Silly" with Dan Friedkin's takeover imminent, Stefan Borson has said.

The football finance expert posted on X (18 December) in response to a Manchester City fan suggesting their sporting director Txiki Begiristain is a "big admirer" of Branthwaite as a January transfer target.

Branthwaite's £80million price tag did enough to deter Manchester United in the summer [TEAMtalk, 15 October], but with Friedkin's takeover set to be ratified in the coming days, Borson argued the defender will be staying put.

He said: "Everton aren’t selling Branthwaite in January days into a new ownership. Let’s not be silly."

Jarrad Branthwaite sale would be Everton disaster for Dan Friedkin

It's hardly surprising to see that Begiristain is an admirer of Branthwaite as the January window nears, with several of the Premier League's leading sides identifying the 22-year-old as a top-class talent.

That's a sentiment reflected by the outgoing hierarchy at Goodison Park, who slapped a heavy price tag on the centre-back's head in their efforts to prevent those clubs from paying under the odds to sign him.

Manchester City are certainly a club with the financial capability to stump up around £80m if they think Branthwaite is worth that valuation, but the Toffees should fight tooth and nail to keep him long-term.

Friedkin simply must share this view to avoid a disastrous opening month in charge of the club once his takeover goes through, as selling Branthwaite would be the worst PR move imaginable.

However, with the American's arrival prompting a new era on Merseyside – and the Blues soon having a stadium to match – he'll want Branthwaite to be one of the key faces of the club's bright future.

In other Everton news, a first-team chance could be on the cards for one Toffees youngster after what he did for their Under-21s.

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