Everton is said to be "in the dark" over rumors that Liverpool is planning a controversial transfer swoop for star defender Jarrad Branthwaite. Despite bookmakers slashing odds on Branthwaite making a move to Anfield , insiders have played down such a move.
The ECHO reports that there has been no communication between Liverpool and Everton regarding Branthwaite. On Sunday, fans noticed that Sky Bet had surprisingly cut the odds on Branthwaite leaving Goodison Park before the end of the transfer window. He's currently priced at 5/4 to make a surprise summer move to city rivals Liverpool.
United are listed at 3/1 to sign the defender, while Manchester City (4/1) and Real Madrid (12/1) are other potential destinations that Sky have priced up for the England international. However, there haven't been any credible reports linking Branthwaite with a move to Anfield. Betting odds are often shortened when a high volume of bets are placed to make the market less profitable.
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Earlier this summer, Everton turned down two offers from United for Branthwaite: an initial bid of $45m (£35m/€41m) plus add-ons in June, followed by a second offer of $58m (£45m/€53m) plus add-ons in July. Instead, the Red Devils opted to sign other center-back targets, securing Leny Yoro from Lille in a deal worth up to $76m (£59m/€69m) , and Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich for $49m (£38m/€45m) .
Considering the hefty fees paid by Manchester United for Harry Maguire ( $104m/£80m/€94m in 2019), Chelsea for Wesley Fofana ( $91m/£70m/€82m in 2022), and Manchester City for Josko Gvardiol ( $100m/£77m/€90m in 2023), Everton believes Branthwaite is in the same league. This is particularly true given the premium attached to left-footed defenders and homegrown talent.
Everton has made it clear that they won't be pushed into selling their England international for a low price, despite rumors of a "fire sale" at Goodison Park this summer. It has been actively planning for him to stay on for the season unless an irresistible offer comes in.
The idea of rejecting two offers from Manchester United only to sell to their local rivals wouldn't sit well with Everton's management in the final weeks of the transfer window. No player has directly moved between the two clubs since Abel Xavier's switch from Everton to Liverpool on 30 January 2002 a good six months before the 22-year-old Branthwaite was even born.
Liverpool.com says: Branthwaite would be an excellent addition for Liverpool and he would tick a lot of boxes. Trying to get a deal over the line, though, would be near impossible. Everton would rather sell to anyone else than its cross-city rival.
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