Jarrad Branthwaite absent from Everton medical tests as new Man Utd bid fails - report

Jarrad Branthwaite is currently absent from preseason training at Everton due to his involvement in international football during the summer, according to the Liverpool Echo.

The outlet reported via their website on 9 July that the star defender has been given an extended break and was not present the previous day when players arrived back for medical testing, with captain Seamus Coleman the first to arrive.

That was the same day that Manchester United returned with a second bid to sign him worth £45million plus £5m in add-ons [Chris Wheeler, 8 July], which was still well below the Toffees’ valuation of around £70m and was once more unsuccessful [Fabrizio Romano, 8 July].

According to the Echo the club were always braced for another offer to arrive from Old Trafford, and their ability to resist “below-value” offers is seen as at its strongest currently.

Branthwaite was left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024, sparking fears a transfer exit would follow imminently [Echo, 6 July], but was part of the provisional squad, receiving his first cap in the 3-0 friendly win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on 1 June.

Everton star given extended break after England involvement

If the Toffees weren’t compelled to accept United’s original offer of £35m plus £8m because it was seen as derisory [Telegraph, 14 June] before the 30 June accounting cut off then it is little surprise they haven’t felt the need to change their stance for the new offer.

It is not impossible that Branthwaite ultimately does leave, although Sean Dyche will surely be banking on him staying, but it looks clear that the club are going to hold out for what they think he is worth for now at the very least.

Selling Lewis Dobbin and Ben Godfrey helped ease the profit and sustainability situation last month, and while the same pressures still apply for the current year there is a long way to go in the transfer window with some obvious candidates to depart for significant money.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is another Dyche would no doubt wish to keep if he could but with a year left on his contract that matter may be taken out of the manager’s hands, with the striker already offered to Newcastle before talks broke down [Times, 24 June].

And Belgian international midfielder Amadou Onana is expected to leave [Alan Myers, 14 June] for what is likely to be a big fee, with multiple interested clubs having already come forward [Times, 14 June].

Even if both were to stay this summer, there remains the January window and the beginning of next summer to balance the books, so the club certainly don’t seem to be under pressure to sell Branthwaite at this stage barring a huge offer making it worth their while.

In other Everton news, Alan Myers has shared a new update as the Toffees chase an in-demand attacker.

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