3 days ago
Is 'generational talent' Branthwaite 'priceless'? Send us your thoughts
With a first summer transfer window under the new ownership and a number of players out of contract, Everton could be set for a busy and transitional fans will be keeping a close eye on what happens with Jarrad Branthwaite, the defender having attracted interest previously and being one of the club's most highly valued fan Lee McClean told BBC Radio Merseyside: "My number one priority is keeping him at all costs. I would refute any sort of bids for him and would love to work around it if we possibly can and explore every option."I think he is priceless, he is a generational talent."Despite Everton's struggles, and we have just finished 13th again, I think we are third or fourth in defensive stats. If you look at Everton's goalkeeper and centre-half pairing, it is almost faultless. Even the top four would probably have a decision to make if they were given the option to replace what they have got with what Everton have got - it is that good."So even if we got £100m [for Branthwaite], what are you going to do with it? You are not going to improve on what we have got because Everton aren't in a position to go and pick a £50m centre-back from the top four or five in Europe because we are just not."But you have to be realistic. As much as we are partisan and romantic and would love Jarrad Branthwaite to stay with Everton like Dave Watson for the whole of his career, football has changed."He can be anything he wants to be, he can play for any club in Europe, and we are not talking potential - he is the real deal now. His ceiling has still got so much more left, he has still got so much headroom."So unless Everton can match his ambition and do something like Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest have done, then Branthwaite has got every reason to say 'I'm gone'."How do you feel about Branthwaite's future with Everton? Do they need to keep him at all costs?Let us knowListen to the full discussion on BBC Sounds
