EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle target Everton’s Branthwaite for January transfer
Steve Kay
- 13 Nov 2023 07:35 CST
- 8 min read
Exclusive
Newcastle United have targeted Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite as the man to strengthen the heart of their defence, FootballTransfers can exclusively reveal.
Manager Eddie Howe is a particularly big fan of the centre-back, who spent last season on loan at PSV in the Eredivisie.
Since returning to Everton, 21-year-old Branthwaite has quickly won his place in the starting XI and has been one of the standout defenders in the Premier League this season.
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Now Newcastle and Howe have earmarked him to become the long-term successor to Fabian Schar, who is now 31.
Branthwaite fulfils all the criteria that the Magpies want in a centre-back to play alongside Kieran Trippier and the feeling is that the pair will compliment each other nicely in the defence of the St. James’ Park side thanks to the experience of the right-back and the pace of the central defender.
While it is believed that Branthwaite would be keen on a deal, there has been no contact between Everton and Newcastle over a potential transfer.
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FootballTransfers understands that Howe is eager to do the deal in January, but such an agreement will only be possible if the structure of the transfer is right. The former Bournemouth boss, though, is keen to rush through the transfer as he is aware that interest in the defender is likely to ramp up in the summer.
Manchester United have been credited with an interest in Branthwaite, while Liverpool have been urged to sign the Englishman.
Howe targeted English players to form the core of this Newcastle side in the summer transfer window, including James Maddison, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher, and though he missed out on those players, he had previously added the likes of Trippier, Nick Pope and Anthony Gordon to the club’s squad.
How good is Jarrad Branthwaite?
Branthwaite has been one of the top-performing centre-backs in the Premier League this season.
According to data analytics experts SciSports, his performances rate alongside those of Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi as being among the best in the division.
He scores particularly well in terms of his defensive positioning and prevention.
