Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite arriving at the stadium during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Everton FC at Selhurst Park. The centre back has not been named in the latest England squad - a source of surprise for many. (Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite arriving at the stadium during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace FC and Everton FC at Selhurst Park. The centre back has not been named in the latest England squad - a source of surprise for many. (Photo by Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images)
There have been times when this international break has almost felt like an effort to destabilise Jarrad Branthwaite.
Thomas Tuchel's decision not to include him in his first England squad was disappointing and came as a surprise. Since then the only conclusion national media appear able to draw is that he MUST leave Everton in order to further his international ambitions.
It is an easy line to take during a slow period for football headlines but it is also an intriguing one. There will be a market for Branthwaite in the summer and, to some extent, this feels like the opening salvo in what some outlets probably hope will be a storyline that can keep them rolling for months and months.
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Whether those pushing the narrative like or not, Everton hold the cards right now. Upon forcing his way into Sean Dyche's plans 18 months ago, Branthwaite was quickly rewarded with the new long-term deal his early displays warranted.
Those early months of his Premier League rise were dizzying. Gone was the Bambi-legged youngster who was outfought and out-thought into a red card by Ivan Toney when Brentford spoiled the survival party by winning at a sun-bathed Goodison Park under Frank Lampard.
By the time he was celebrating last minute, match-winning tackles in front of then-national boss Gareth Southgate, he had enjoyed a coming-of-age loan spell at PSV Eindhoven under the tutelage of Ruud van Nistelrooy, been part of the Euros-winning England Under-21s squad, and cemented himself as one of the brightest talents in the European game.
The reward was a contract keeping him at the club until 2027. The natural consequence was a summer in which his name dominated the opening months of the transfer window. Everton were a mess then. The doomed takeover bid by 777 Partners was in the process of falling apart, director of football Kevin Thelwell was skirmishing with other football chiefs to try and solve another flirt with the Profit and Sustainability Regulations that had already cost the Blues two points deductions, and the club was heading into a history-defining transfer window in a fug over who would be paying the bills and how.
That was the time to strike. Manchester United tried, but tried to be so cute with Everton's finances they turned themselves into a laughing stock. As shown by the following months, the club had big money to spend on centre backs and yet they started with derisory bids for the most talented on their horizon.
The Red Devils, who now want to end free hot meals for some staff because they are apparently so cash-strapped, are one of the alleged interest parties plotting a move for Branthwaite this summer. The size of the Old Trafford club is undeniable and there will be wages they could reach that would tempt anyone.
But having undermined Branthwaite's position at Everton to then baulk at sensible valuations for the player - who had just been called up to the full England squad - the club then went and splurged on Matthijs de Ligt and Leny Yoro. Man United spent more than £200m on the centre backs that came to Goodison Park last month. Branthwaite, the million pound man, outclassed them all - not that it was tough given, until their late comeback, United put in one of the worst performances seen at the Grand Old Lady in years.
So should Branthwaite be the subject of renewed efforts to lure him down the East Lancs, first the club would have to overcome the message they sent to him nine months ago. Then they would have to convince him a side in disarray, with owners tearing the soul out of the club, that may well finish beneath the Blues and which will only have European football if they win the Europa League (which is not inconceivable), is a better home for the foreseeable future than the one moving up the table, into a new stadium and where he is essentially guaranteed to be a talisman.
Other clubs will look at Branthwaite and may well have a better sell, but the contract issue means Everton retain a strong starting point for any negotiations. Branthwaite is rumoured to be considering his future given his absence from Tuchel's first squad and it would be understandable for him to be assessing his next move given his remarkable rise and the interest that will continue to inspire.
But as was clear last summer, when he kept a cool head amid the sabre-rattling of others, he is a mature character. He has good people around him, too, people who will not sacrifice his development for a bank balance.
Should he undertake any considerations for life after Everton, he would also need to question the premise being thrust in his direction right now - that the Blues are not an adequate staging post for a run into the England team. Just look at the current squad - the centre backs in front of him include Dan Burn and Marc Guehi, neither of whom are playing in Europe this season.
Then he can look behind him when he steps out against Liverpool in 10 days and look at Jordan Pickford, fresh from his 74th cap for his country. One bookies has it at 85% that Branthwaite is in the squad at the 2026 World Cup even with the initial snub.
Branthwaite's future will come under focus again this summer. Everton will have to seriously consider his contract if they want to strengthen their position further - he signed new terms as youngster on their first run in the senior team, and he is now a player Everton have turned down tens of millions for - a fact that has not gone unnoticed and would be sensible to try to address now the takeover by The Friedkin Group has provided stability to the accounts.
And there will still need to be pragmatism about any decision-making. For all that Blues would love for him to be the heroic figure the club builds its future around, should a club come in with a suitable offer it will have to be taken seriously - a big fee could help get the club through the last of any lingering PSR issues while also paving the way for a more ambitious summer rebuild that falls within the parameters of spending rules.
David Moyes knows this. He was not sold his return on the basis the club would turn down proper money for proper players. But for Branthwaite to move, there could be none of the clowning around such as that from Man United last summer. Both he and Everton deserve better than that.