Carlisle United could see eight-figure pay day after Everton clause revealed | OneFootball

Highlights

Carlisle United could be in line for an eight-figure payday this summer if Everton sell £80m-rated former Blue Jarrad Branthwaite after it was revealed they reportedly have a 15% sell-on clause.

The financial power of the Cumbrian side has taken an unexpectedly huge boost over the past year.

It's almost a year ago that they secured their return to League One at Wembley, by beating Stockport County on penalties. Now, just under 365 days on, things haven't turned out the way that fans wanted, but plenty of good things have come over that time.

The takeover by the Piatak family, who, unbeknownst to Blues supporters at the time, were in attendance for the play-off semi-final and final, have helped to make, and are continuing to make, huge changes at the club, both on and off the pitch.

They recently announced that they are committing another £4.5 million towards improving Brunton Park and the surrounding facilities. That's on top of the £4 million they are planning to spend on a new training centre, as per the News & Star.

Their arrival was certainly unforeseen, as was the rise of Branthwaite to Premier League notoriety. Carlisle fans truly knew of his talent, but now most of the country does too.

His emergence as one of the top young defenders in the top flight has attracted the interest of some top teams, and United will be beneficiaries of any deal made for the 21-year-old.

Carlisle United's Jarrad Branthwaite sell-on clause revealed

i Sport have reported that Manchester United would be willing to pay £55 million for the left-footed defender this summer and that Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Branthwaite too.

Everton are set to hold out for a higher bid though, as they want a minimum of £80 million for their starting centre-back, as per the report.

This fee would send a hefty chunk of cash Carlisle's way, as i Sport believe that they have a 15% sell-on clause for Branthwaite, which they agreed with Everton back in 2020, when they sold him for £1 million, according to the Daily Mail.

United haven't explicitly spoken about the exact percentage that they would receive from any transfer fee paid to the Toffees for Branthwaite, but Carlisle chief executive Nigel Clibbens has said that the club could make a: "significant amount of money," from the defender being sold, if the reports about his asking price are true, as per the News & Star.

The 21-year-old isn't the only former United academy member to financially benefit the Blues. The Blues' 22/23 accounts revealed that they made in excess of £1 million from add-ons.

This money will have come from funds received after former young Blues James Trafford and Dean Henderson were sold to Burnley and Crystal Palace, respectively, this summer, and Carlisle will have received a chunk of the money from said deals.

Branthwaite's emergence into the Everton first team may have also triggered performance-related bonuses, which contributed to that seven-figure fee. All three players are in England's provisional squad for Euro 2024, meaning ex-Carlisle academy players make up close to 10% of Gareth Southgate's squad.

Carlisle United are set up for success

The 23/24 League campaign will have been one of conflicting emotions for many United fans. There were the shocking on-pitch performances that they had to deal with. But then all the new developments and work going on behind the scenes, thanks to the Piataks, made people excited about what was to come.

Their financial commitments across the club have shown, if it wasn't proven already, that they are committed to making Carlisle the best that it can be. £8.5 million is a huge amount, and the brilliant thing is that number could be completely covered, and leave a fair amount of change, if Branthwaite were sold for the reported figures.

Indeed, the club could be in line for £12 million were the England defender sold for £80 million this summer.

That would leave huge, unaccounted for reserves that they would then have at their disposal to use on the playing staff, or whichever area of the Blues most needs addressing.