DEAL: £120,000-p/w PL ace on Everton wishlist if Branthwaite goes this summer

Everton is investigating possible defender Jarrad Branthwaite’s successor in advance of the center-back’s possible summer departure.

Rumors of an Everton transfer

This past season, Everton managed to avoid relegation from the Premier League despite their points deduction, finishing 15th in the league and 14 points ahead of Luton Town, who were in 18th place.Now that the summer transfer window is approaching, Sean Dyche needs to focus on strengthening his team and getting the Toffees back in the top half of the standings.

In 2023–2024, the defender has demonstrated exceptional attacking performance. Everton is reportedly among several Premier League teams interested in signing Hoffenheim forward Jacob Bruun Larsen this summer in an effort to bolster their roster. The Merseysiders are reportedly prepared to pay €20 million (£17 million) to recruit former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, while they are also close to signing Ceiran Loney from Partick Thistle this summer.In other news, Everton is rumored to have teamed up with Italian powerhouses Juventus and Napoli to plan a deal for Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram, who has already piqued Liverpool’s interest.

Everton eye replacements for Jarrad Branthwaite But for the time being, Everton’s top focus will probably be finding a suitable Jarrad Branthwaite replacement should he decide to depart Goodison Park in the upcoming months. This week, it was claimed that Manchester United and the Englishman had reached an agreement on a contract for £150–160k per week, with the Toffees seeking to secure approximately £65m to let go of their star center-back.If Branthwaite does leave, as appears inevitable this summer, those in charge at Goodison Park will have the difficult challenge of finding a 21-year-old to replace him. Victor Lindelof, a center-back for Manchester United and Sweden, has been mentioned by HITC as one of Branthwaite’s possible successors. The £120,000-per-week Swede has shown flashes of brilliance since joining Old Trafford, and colleague Harry Maguire called him “technically brilliant” this past season. “Technically, Victor [Lindelof] is brilliant,” Maguire remarked. “His skill as a football player has been evident over the years. He did pretty well today, so I’m very happy for him. The second stage of a set play is where we won today. Set plays are a major aspect of the game. We haven’t been strong enough at attacking set plays during my time at this club, but we have improved this year.”

The 29-year-old, though, only made 19 Premier League games in 2023–2024. With Branthwaite possibly heading in a different direction, HITC speculates that Lindelof might decide it’s time to leave the Red Devils, who are rumored to be willing to allow a deal.

Apart from Lindelof, the previously cited source indicates Everton is also considering Hull City’s Jacob Greaves as a potential replacement for Branthwaite. The young man, 23, made 43