Instead of Branthwaite: Dyche must ditch Everton star to ease FFP woes
Instead of Branthwaite: Dyche must ditch Everton star to ease FFP woes
Everton have a huge summer ahead of them to try and avoid a further breach of the Premier League’s PSR rules next season, with Sean Dyche’s side desperately needing to raise funds.
The Toffees were hit with a total of eight points deducted last campaign, with Dyche working a miracle in leading the club 14 points clear of the drop at the conclusion of the 2023/24 season.
His side set up basing their play on the principle of being solid defensively and scoring on the counter - a real key feature of the Toffees’ success for large parts of the campaign.
For all but three of the games in the Premier League, the Everton boss utilised the same centre-back partnership, creating a real continuity between the pair, helping them grind out results at key stages of the year.
However, the partnership could be broken this summer, with one of the players continuously being linked with a big money move to a Premier League rival during the off-season.
Jarrad Branthwaite's future at Everton
According to Graeme Bailey - among other sources - Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has agreed personal terms over a move to Manchester United.
Erik ten Hag’s side are targeting the 21-year-old to bolster their defence after finishing eighth in the Premier League, their worst league position since the formation of the division back in 1992/93.
Despite the personal agreement, the clubs remain a fair way apart in terms of the transfer fee, with the Red Devils unwilling to meet the Toffees’ demands of £70m for his signature this summer.
The defender was unlucky to miss out on a place in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships which start over the course of this weekend.
Dyche will undoubtedly want to keep hold of his prized asset this summer and should look to offload one other Everton player to ensure they keep hold of Branthwaite whilst boosting their PSR status.
Why Dyche should look to sell Calvert-Lewin to boost PSR position
Despite scoring seven times in the 2023/24 campaign, striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks a shadow of his former self, with injuries appearing to catch up to the 27-year-old.
He missed over half the games in 2021/22 and 2022/23 through injury, with his constant fitness issues preventing him from reaching the potential he once had at Goodison Park.
With the club’s financial issues, it was previously reported that the Toffees would accept a £40m bid for his signature, with Newcastle credited with an interest in signing him during the transfer window.
The English forward now earns an eye-watering £100k-per-week, as per Capology, with the long-serving asset the club's third-highest earner behind Abdoulaye Doucoure and Jordan Pickford - earning a staggering £5.2m a year.
Given the fact he’s failed to hit the heights expected of him in recent years, the club should look to part ways with Calvert-Lewin in the summer, with the club saving a huge amount each year in their battle with PSR.
Any deal for the forward could potentially allow the Toffees to keep hold of Branthwaite this window, with the former Carlisle youngster much harder to replace than Dyche’s ailing centre-forward.
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