Everton open contract talks with Jarrad Branthwaite amid summer interest | OneFootball

Everton have made it clear that Jarrad Branthwaite is not for sale this summer, with David Moyes keen to rebuild his squad around the highly rated defender.

According to Sky Sports, the Toffees have initiated contract talks with Branthwaite in an effort to secure one of their brightest talents to a long-term deal.

Branthwaite is one of the hottest prospects on the market and has nearly every top-tier Premier League club on his trail.

Everton have done their best to resist a sale. The 22-year-old still has two years left to run on his contract, but the Toffees are taking no chances.

Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are interested in Branthwaite, but Everton are moving quickly to strengthen their grip on a player who is considered a key part of their ambitions.

The England international has formed a solid partnership with James Tarkowski and played a key role in providing Moyes with a soft landing on his Everton return.

After a successful loan spell at PSV Eindhoven, Branthwaite signed a new deal with Everton in the opening months of the 2023/24 season.

That came after his breakthrough into the first team under Sean Dyche, even though the pair didn’t always see eye to eye.

Branthwaite featured 30 times in the Premier League this season as Everton finished 13th. He helped Everton keep eight clean sheets and was a rock in 1v1 duels.

He won 69 percent of his ground duels and 59% of his aerial battles. He averaged 1.2 tackles, 3.1 ball recoveries and 6.3 clearances per 90 minutes.

The Englishman is brimming with talent and has a very high ceiling, so it’s no surprise he’s getting plenty of attention.