How Everton secured prized asset Jarrad Branthwaite on long-term deal

New York Times

11 hours ago

It was a statement of intent five weeks in the making.
The curtain had not long closed on the 2024-25 season when Everton stepped up their plan to keep hold of star centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite in the face of interest from some of England's biggest clubs.
The 23-year-old had been on the radar of just about all of the country's elite over the last 12 months, including city rivals Liverpool.
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Manchester United had two bids rejected last summer, both well below the prohibitive asking price of around £75million. Tottenham Hotspur, it can now be revealed, had a verbal offer rejected towards the end of the January window as they battled injuries and sought a new central defender.
The north London club's interest was the most pronounced again at the start of the summer, but Everton and new owners The Friedkin Group (TFG) were determined to keep Branthwaite on Merseyside. As first reported by The Athletic, Spurs and others were told that there was no point firming up their interest; Branthwaite simply was not for sale.
Everton's stance was firm and ambitious, but it created potential issues. While the former Carlisle United academy product, who moved to the club in 2020, had two years remaining on his deal, signed in the autumn of 2023, with a club option for a further 12 months, his salary was more in keeping with that of a squad player than a prized asset. Something had to give.
The logic went that a player rated as one of the league's most expensive defenders deserved a salary to match. As such, it was felt that a new, much improved deal was essential when it came not only to retaining Branthwaite, but keeping him happy.
Everton were aware it would be difficult to agree fresh terms. They knew the player had aspirations of playing Champions League football and could earn a sizeable amount elsewhere. Their cause was not aided by new England manager Thomas Tuchel's decision to leave Branthwaite out of national team squads in favour of other players with so-called 'big-game experience', something which raised eyebrows on Merseyside.
At various points over the last 12 months, the sense — even internally — was that a parting of the ways was most likely this summer. Yet Everton's situation has changed substantially since TFG's takeover in December, which safeguarded the immediate financial future of the club. Where they would have had to sell last summer had anyone met their lofty valuation for Branthwaite, this time there was no imperative to do so.
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Manager David Moyes made it clear that he wanted to build his reshaped team around the central defender. Backed by new CEO Angus Kinnear, the matter was escalated to TFG. The Houston-based group bought Everton at the end of last year knowing they were sitting on a potential goldmine which could be sold if needed, but accepted the business plan had to change.
The deal was negotiated by Everton's new head of trading Nick Hammond, in conjunction with Kinnear given its high importance. Regular meetings were held across the country with Branthwaite's camp, where they outlined their position and desire to keep the Cumbrian on improved terms.
The pitch to Branthwaite was straightforward. At 23, he still has his best years ahead of him and room to develop. Moyes' track record with former Everton defenders like Phil Jagielka and Joleon Lescott — who both became England players during their spells on Merseyside — was cited, with Branthwaite told just how highly the Scot rated him.
Everton pointed to their new Hill Dickinson Stadium as a sign of their ambition and direction of travel, while investment in the playing squad was promised.
Branthwaite signed his new five-year deal on Tuesday evening, with paperwork processed before Wednesday morning's official confirmation. He becomes one of the club's highest earners, his old salary of around £50,000 a week said to have more than doubled. Crucially, Everton were able to match what was on the table from elsewhere.
Media duties were fulfilled at the new stadium, with the club possessing images from the new home kit release last month. There, they had made a point of securing Branthwaite's presence at the initial photoshoot and releasing images of him in next season's colours.
News of his new contract will be seen as a sign of intent at Everton and further afield. It is a major early win for the new setup comprised of TFG, Kinnear, Moyes and Hammond. But others have played their role in the story too.
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It was director of football Kevin Thelwell who insisted on a clear pathway to first-team minutes for Branthwaite when he returned to Goodison Park from an impressive loan spell with PSV at the end of the 2022-23 season, despite others at the club pushing for a move for Manchester United's Harry Maguire. Thelwell also set the high valuation for Branthwaite last summer and resisted multiple offers despite the fraught financial situation at that stage.
The idea was Everton had a better chance of keeping the defender long-term if they could just get through to TFG's takeover. So it has proven.
At the very least, the club have secured Branthwaite's future for a further year, protected his value and made it harder for any rivals to prise him from their clutches.
Now they need to match his ambition and rise up the league. In that regard, securing him is the best possible start.