Everton must consider selling £45m player in January with potential crisis incoming - opinion

Everton rejected multiple bids for Jarrad Branthwaite from Manchester United over the summer transfer window.

Jarrad Branthwaite was at the top of Manchester United‘s shopping list at the start of the summer window as the Red Devils pushed to strengthen their centre-back department.

United submitted a £45m bid for Branthwaite, but their valuation never came close to Everton’s £80m price tag for the English defender.

The Toffees ended up keeping hold of Branthwaite with United turning their interest to Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt instead.

However, Branthwaite has spent the opening weeks of the season on the sidelines with an injury and Everton now sit 20th in the Premier League table after a dire start to the campaign.

Liverpool also showed interest in Branthwaite this summer and the two Premier League giants will be waiting to pounce for the 22-year-old if Everton find themselves in a relegation battle again this season.

Everton must reconsider Jarrad Branthwaite sale

Keeping hold of Branthwaite would be a huge success for Everton if they had ambitions of challenging in the top half of the table, but ultimately they have much bigger issues to tackle before they can set their sights that high.

Everton faced two points deductions last season for breaching financial regulations and they continue to have financial issues with Farhad Moshiri still yet to complete a takeover deal.

Branthwaite is currently the club’s most valuable asset and cashing in on him in January would allow Everton to address much wider issues – such as their impending contract crisis.

As reported by The Athletic, Everton have just 12 senior players contracted to the club beyond this season.

The club desperately needs to tie more first-team players down to new deals and a huge influx of cash from Branthwaite’s sale would certainly help.

The Daily Mail report that Branthwaite – who is contracted at Goodison Park until 2027 – will only sign a new deal with Everton if they match the £160,000 per week wages offered by Manchester United.

Everton simply cannot afford to match Branthwaite’s wage demands and his value will only deteriorate the longer they wait. A sale in January is best for everyone involved.

Everton already have Jarrad Branthwaite replacement

Losing Branthwaite would weaken Everton’s defence, but they have already sourced a good replacement in Jake O’Brien, who joined this summer in a £16m deal from Lyon.

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O’Brien was in superb form for Everton in pre-season but has not been needed in the Premier League so far with Dyche preferring Michael Keane and James Tarkowski.

With enough depth in the squad to survive Branthwaite’s departure, Everton must reconsider selling him in January – they may even start a bidding war between the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham.