Jarrad Branthwaite and David Moyes at Everton.
(Credit: Imago)
Dan Godfrey
Tue 11 March 2025 18:33, UK
Everton will be using the summer transfer window as an ideal opportunity to make further progress as an entire club under the Friedkins.
The new ownership group have already made several major calls in bidding to ensure the Toffees can compete at their former levels and become something a lot more than an annual survival battler.
David Moyes has virtually secured Premier League football at Everton for when they move into the Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium this summer, and the board are ready to stand by for plenty of transfer interest in the players who have helped him get there.
Moyes has been superb since returning to Goodison Park (Credit: Imago)
Branthwaite replacement would be a step back
Everton know exactly what to soon expect regarding Jarrad Branthwaite, whose heavy exit links before the start of this season had many believing he would not play at Goodison again.
While that much will certainly be true of this time around with the stadium move just five home fixtures away, Branthwaite will again be the subject of several anticipated bids from the game’s powerhouses – both in England and wider Europe.
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Everton have in recent days been linked with the signing of Celtic centre-half Cameron Carter-Vickers, 27, who has impressed in Glasgow and won three Scottish Premiership titles – which will become four in a matter of weeks.
Carter-Vickers was a Tottenham youth product who carved out a career via several Championship loans before moving north of the border. Despite the regular European battles he has stepped up in, he is yet to appear in the Premier League and if he turns out to be Branthwaite’s direct replacement, Everton could be in a spot of bother.
That is no shade at Carter-Vickers, either. As a squad player, he could be an astute signing especially with Michael Keane’s contract expiring in June. But Branthwaite has the potential to be a world-class operator for many years – it’s just a case of how wide the downgrade would be.
Carter-Vickers’ club and USA international teammate, Auston Trusty, is an example here. Excellent since joining Celtic, Trusty was part of a dreadful Sheffield United defence in the Premier League last season and never broke through at Arsenal prior to that. It’s a different ball game.
Jarrad Branthwaite
Branthwaite has a lot of interested suitors (credit: Imago)
Everton want to make Branthwaite highest-paid player
The one obvious advantage of selling Branthwaite would be the instant release of the PSR shackles at Everton, who signed him from Carlisle United for just £1million back in 2020.
There would also be a weight of funds for the Friedkins to utilise how they see fit, with his anticipated sale bringing in almost full profit.
The England star, 22, has an ongoing contract until 2027, with a club option of a further year – but Everton are keen to extend that commitment by making him their highest-paid player.
Year Everton – highest ever sales Club Fee
2017 Romelu Lukaku Manchester United £75m
2022 Richarlison Tottenham £50m
2024 Amadou Onana Aston Villa £50m
2016 John Stones Manchester City £47.5m
2023 Anthony Gordon Newcastle £40m
(EFC Statto) (not including add-ons)
Everton will almost certainly sign at least one centre-half in the summer, and this could present someone like Carter-Vickers with a long-awaited opportunity in the Premier League having achieved all there is at Celtic domestically.
But to replace Branthwaite would take an almighty coup from the ownership and whoever takes the sporting director baton from Kevin Thelwell this summer.
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