Everton are reportedly not willing to entertain any bids below £100million for defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the January transfer window. The England Under-21 international has been heavily linked with a move away from Goodison Park next month, with Manchester United and Tottenham among his suitors.
After being hit with a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules, speculation has swirled that Everton are set to be hit with further punishments. The risk of being plunged into administration has heightened for Sean Dyche’s side as a result, with another points penalty not ruled out.
As a result, several marquee exits are anticipated for the Toffees. Branthwaite is among the stars linked with a move away from Merseyside, though Everton appear to be in no hurry to part ways with the former Carlisle star.
According to The i, the Toffees have slapped a staggering £100m price tag on the 21-year-old in an attempt to deter clubs from testing their resolve. The club view him as a ‘Rolls Royce defender’ and feel that ‘he has everything’ required to play at the very top level.
Everton expects Branthwaite to continue improving under the watchful eye of Dyche before going on to break into England’s first-team in the future, and his valuation would soar further if that was to be the case.
The 21-year-old is contracted to the Toffees until 2027 and therefore there is no growing pressure for Everton to try and strike a deal with one of his suitors, which includes Erik ten Hag’s United. Instead, they could look to offload other players if they anticipate financial penalties in the future.
Amadou Onana is another Everton star who has been tipped to leave the club in the near future, having rejected a move away from Merseyside 12 months ago in favour of guiding the club away from relegation. Remarkedly, despite the points deduction, Everton are in a stronger position now and the Belgium international may now be willing to take the next step in his career.
Arsenal are among those to hold a strong interest in the Belgium international as they look to continue their midfield reshuffle, with Chelsea also monitoring his situation closely. United have also been cited as being keen on Onana previously, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe hoping to mark his arrival at Old Trafford with several marquee signings.
