Everton manager Sean Dyche has spoken about his transfer dealings, specifically how he made it clear that he would not allow Jarrad Branthwaite to leave for any fee.
The summer transfer window saw a significant player exit, with a slew of first team and youth players departing as the club sought to reduce its wage bill.
Yerry Mina, Conor Coady, Neal Maupay, Alex Iwobi, Tom Davies, Demarai Gray, Ellis Simms, Tom Cannon, and a number of other young players eventually left Everton.
Branthwaite was another player who had been persistently linked with a move away.
Carlise United’s January 2020 signing – Carlo Ancelotti’s first as manager – had just returned from a hugely impressive loan spell at PSV Eindhoven in Holland.
The Dutch club was eager to convert his loan into a permanent deal, and at one point appeared to be on the verge of doing so, with some reports claiming the player wanted to return to the Eredivisie.
I urged the Blues to reject that option and keep a player who possessed all of the tools and potential to be an outstanding defender. So, it appears, did the manager.
With his calmness, pace, ability and confidence on the ball, strength in the air, and willingness to tackle and do all of the fundamentals of defending, he had the potential to become a top-tier centre-back.
Fortunately, he was not sold, despite the fact that half of the first-team squad appeared to be leaving with the deadline-day sales of Iwobi, Gray, and Cannon, leaving Dyche short of numbers and options, particularly in midfield and out wide.
Keeping Branthwaite, on the other hand, has proven to be a wise decision. The England Under-21 star has been outstanding since joining the team this season, following his participation in the Under-21 European Championships victory.
Despite the fact that this is Branthwaite’s first season in the Premier League, he appears completely at ease and assured, as if he has been playing there for years.
As Dyche points out, having a defender with the savvy and experience of James Tarkowski alongside him has undoubtedly helped. They have arguably formed one of the league’s best center-back partnerships.
He is now a regular in defense after signing a new long-term contract, and with Everton only having the error-prone Micheal Keane and the wildly erratic Ben Godfrey in reserve, we must hope he stays fit.
The only blemish on his record is that he has already received several yellow cards, including his fourth in yesterday’s draw with Brighton. If he gets another one at Crystal Palace next weekend, he will face a one-match ban. We can only hope he doesn’t!
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