Everton have not accepted Manchester United’s latest transfer offer for Jarrad Branthwaite, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian transfer journalist reported via X on 8 July, soon after the news that a £50million bid had arrived [Chris Wheeler], that the Toffees continue to insist on their valuation of the defender, which is around £65m-£70m.
United’s proposal is said to be “formal and official”, with a £45m fee up front and a further £5m in add-ons, but has not been successful as Romano wrote there is “no deal again at this stage”.
INEOS previously made a £35m offer for Branthwaite with £8m in add-ons, which was seen as “unacceptable” and immediately rejected [Liverpool Echo, 14 June].
Everton reject latest transfer offer from INEOS at Old Trafford
The response to the latest bid is little surprise since the noises coming out of Goodison Park have widely been reported as consistent from the start, and throughout the pursuit of the centre-back.
Everton are said to see their star defender as in the same ball park as the big-money transfers of Harry Maguire, Wesley Fofana and Josko Gvardiol if he is to move [Telegraph, 15 June], and appear to be secure in refusing to consider anything less than their asking price.
Sean Dyche surely doesn’t want to lose his young England international either way, but if he had no choice then he and Kevin Thelwell would want as much cash as possible to go about restocking the squad
With other high-profile sales on the cards this summer in the form of the expected departure of Amadou Onana [Alan Myers, 14 June], and the potentially-necessary exit of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, there is likely to be significant transfer revenue brought in yet during the transfer window.
That would surely protect the club from having to sacrifice Branthwaite from a financial point of view, unless an offer is made they simply can’t refuse, or if he were to agitate for an exit.
The 22-year-old is said to have personal terms agreed [Telegraph, 13 June], but the Toffees believe he is happy at the club [David Ornstein, 14 June], so absent a major change in circumstances it looks a simple matter of United needing to pay the full fee or be left empty-handed.
