Everton stance on Jarrad Branthwaite future as PSR position emerges

Everton believe the club will be operating from a position of strength should any further interest emerge in Jarrad Branthwaite. The centre back was the subject of two bids from Manchester United over the summer, both of which were rejected by the Blues.

The 22-year-old marked his return to first team action on Saturday with an impressive display that helped Everton to a first Premier League win of the season. While the focus of the player and club is to continue building his fitness after months out due to a groin issue, his immediate impact has already led to a return of the speculation that existed around his future throughout the summer.

Everton entered that transfer window knowing sales were needed but determined to keep hold of the star centre back and hoping to channel the market in such a manner that it would help to make that ambition a reality.

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The early sales of Ben Godfrey and Lewis Dobbin strengthened the club’s regulatory position ahead of the June 30 deadline for compliance with Premier League Profit and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). The club’s financial outlook - and PSR position for the current year - was then boosted by the £50m deal that took Amadou Onana to Aston Villa.

Those factors and others allowed Everton to dismiss the bids for Branthwaite from Manchester United, both of which were felt to have been speculative offers far below the England international’s true value.

Should the defender build on his breakthrough campaign - in which he took advantage of an opportunity in the first team to emerge as one of Europe’s most promising defensive talents - his signature is likely to be coveted in the future.

The belief at Everton is that the club is in a good position on that front, with the expectation held internally that PSR compliance is unlikely to be a major issue this year, reducing the demand for another big sale from a regulatory perspective. Branthwaite is also currently contracted until 2027 after he agreed a new deal 12 months ago.

“Since I joined, I’ve felt a connection with the club,” he said at the time, adding: “The fans have been really good with me. For the first game I played, the cheer I got when my name was read out just gave me massive confidence to go out there and play my best game.

“Since I got in the team, the fans have shown me real support and that gives me confidence, especially for a young player. I can’t thank them enough.”

Branthwaite’s stature and his value to the club have since grown and it may be that, in the future, talks over a deal that better reflect that importance are considered. But the current priority for Everton is helping him to grow back into the first team setup after his solid return at the weekend - a target the player is also fully focused upon.