Everton’s start to the season has been far from what Sean Dyche would have wanted, but with points now on the board a foundation has been built to start rising up the Premier League table.
Starting off the new season with four straight league defeats was never bound to win him any favour around Goodison Park, and thus the scrutiny heaped on him has been somewhat justified.
Calls for his head are slightly harsher given all the work he has done prior to this new term, and especially given there are few alternatives out there who would do a better job under such circumstances.
He has hardly been helped by a string of really unfortunate injuries to kickstart the campaign though, with one absentee in particular leaving a vacancy that cannot be easily filled.
Jarrad Branthwaite contract update
After all, there is no one like Jarrad Branthwaite in Sean Dyche‘s squad, and so his absence left a mammoth hole in their backline.
Offering pace, physicality, intelligence and passing range from centre-back, there is nobody who can match his excellence across the board.
So, that is why the Toffees will be desperate to keep ahold of the 22-year-old, despite rumours persisting that Jarrad Branthwaite could leave Everton after a summer of interest from various clubs.
Now, the Daily Mail has sought to offer a fresh update on the matter, and it is far from positive.
They write: ‘Despite the takeover at Goodison Park, Branthwaite is unlikely to sign an extension to his contract, which expires in June 2027, with Everton unable to match the £160,000 a week that United (and probably Liverpool) would be prepared to pay him.’
Jarrad Branthwaite is too important for Everton to lose
This news will not be welcomed by Evertonians, seeing that their star man has no plans to stick around long-term.
It might not surprise some considering the quality of teams sniffing around him, but if they are to enjoy progression, particularly under the new ownership, the Toffees will want to keep ahold of Branthwaite for as long as possible.
They must balance that desire with the knowledge that time is running out to command a huge fee for his services.
It’s a testament to Branthwaite’s brilliance that their only Premier League win of the season came when he returned to the side.
Clinton Morrison even admitted live on Sky Sports last Saturday: ‘Everton have defended excellent, having Branthwaite back made a big difference, him and [James] Tarkowski, the partnership has been outstanding.’
Realistically, unless they can source an outstanding replacement for a cut price, it might be worth holding on for as long as possible just to bolster their current squad.
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